First I'm an avid fisherman who has enjoyed catching and eating many species of fish including sturgeon and paddlefish. I've never eaten caviar but would not be critical of what others consume. I live close to the Mississippi and have witnessed the devastation to the populations of the sturgeon and paddlefish. Because of the over harvest of the sturgeon in Europe and Asia, caviar has become very expensive. As a result man has looked for a substitute and found it in American paddlefish and sturgeon. In the Spring paddlefish collect in places where the current is fast to spawn. There they are easily snagged by waiting legitimate fisherman (fishing for food or catch and release) and poachers. Since most people have not the skill to tell male from female paddlefish, each paddlefish and sturgeon caught have their abdomens sliced open, the roe if there is any torn out and the now dead fish tossed up on the bank in huge, stinking piles. There are not enough conservation agents to control the slaughter.
Paddlefish and sturgeon require several years (about 10 years I believe to reach spawning size even more for he larger species) and of course the larger the paddlefish and sturgeon the more eggs the fish produces. Of course the larger the fish the easier to snag. Today there are very few lake sturgeon left in the Mississippi basin and besides overfishing the dams we've built for navigation also have played their part The smaller long nose and short nose sturgeon's populations are crashing. As for the hapless paddlefish, well I bet you can guess what is happening. In my observations very few people consume the flesh of these ancient species they are killed just for the roe. I've witnessed and smelled the slaughter and waste and it is something that I'll never forget.
Another factor that many people fail to consider is the introduction of the big mouth and silver carp from China that multiply like rabbits and consume the plankton like food that the paddlefish eat as well.
Again I'm not a PETA nut, but please think twice and consider the consequences of your appetites. If the illegal harvest (I see no way to prevent this) continues at the current rate these species populations will crash and they will be swimming to extinction. And guess what, no more caviar . . .
Paddlefish and sturgeon require several years (about 10 years I believe to reach spawning size even more for he larger species) and of course the larger the paddlefish and sturgeon the more eggs the fish produces. Of course the larger the fish the easier to snag. Today there are very few lake sturgeon left in the Mississippi basin and besides overfishing the dams we've built for navigation also have played their part The smaller long nose and short nose sturgeon's populations are crashing. As for the hapless paddlefish, well I bet you can guess what is happening. In my observations very few people consume the flesh of these ancient species they are killed just for the roe. I've witnessed and smelled the slaughter and waste and it is something that I'll never forget.
Another factor that many people fail to consider is the introduction of the big mouth and silver carp from China that multiply like rabbits and consume the plankton like food that the paddlefish eat as well.
Again I'm not a PETA nut, but please think twice and consider the consequences of your appetites. If the illegal harvest (I see no way to prevent this) continues at the current rate these species populations will crash and they will be swimming to extinction. And guess what, no more caviar . . .