Russian market to enjoy more sturgeon caviar in 2011

Despite this, on the Russian domestic market there will be more sturgeon products as Russian Fisheries Agency is ready to allow sturgeon fishery in Amur River.

The countries specializing in sturgeon fishing have not reported any export quotas to CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), so CITES has set zero quotas for the period from 1 March 2011 to 29 February 2012. For the largest fishing countries of the Caspian basin the decision can be changed if they provide their offers on quotas and export volumes.

In 2010 sturgeon quotas amounted to 81 tonnes but the countries of the Caspian basin imposed a technical moratorium for sturgeon fishery. Despite the moratorium Russia will have sturgeon roe on the domestic market. Since 2005 Russia harvested sturgeon in the Caspian Sea for scientific and reproductive purposes. At present Russian fishermen operate in Lena River basin harvesting 49 tonnes of sturgeon, besides Russia's Fisheries Agency is ready to open sturgeon fishery in Amur River basin. Scientists have already gave their approval for fishing operations and the Government of the region is in the process of setting quotas for sturgeon fishery.

Demand for sturgeon species on the Russian market is very high and sturgeon offered on the market is mainly farmed or imported from Iran.