Caviar...Mystery Unveiled (continued)

Sturgeon have long life cycle, some can reach and even exceed 100 years of age. They are late maturing fish. Beluga has to reach about 20 years before it can produce eggs, Osetra- about 8-14 years and smaller Sevruga -5-9 years.

Majority of sturgeon species are salt water fish but they do enter fresh water rivers to spawn.

Fresh water sturgeon resulted from species that were trapped in inland lakes at the end of the ice age.

These days most fishermen use nets to catch sturgeon. Once caught the sturgeon is taken to the processing plant as soon as possible. Roe is removed while fish is still alive since body of the dead fish releases a chemical harmful to the precious eggs.

...to be continued