Sturgeon & Sturgeon Farming
Our sturgeon farm in Turnhout was designed and built entirely by our own team. Sturgeon have played a major role in our operations since shortly after Aqua Bio was founded.
Even when our first young sturgeon arrived, we dreamed of one day breeding these fascinating fish ourselves. We have now mastered the entire breeding cycle and maintain broodstock representing six different sturgeon species.
The first species at our farm is *Acipenser gueldenstaedti*, or the Russian sturgeon. In the culinary world, this species is better known as Osietra, one of the most important sources of caviar. The Russian sturgeon is a truly impressive fish that can weigh up to 110 kg in the wild; it is primarily caught in the Black and Caspian Seas.
In terms of volume, *Acipenser gueldenstaedti* and *Acipenser persicus* are the most important species for caviar production in Russia and Iran.
Sevruga caviar comes from *Acipenser stellatus*, or the starry sturgeon. This species inhabits the same waters as the Russian sturgeon. Both populations have declined sharply in recent years, limiting the catch available for caviar production.
*Acipenser baeri*, or the Siberian sturgeon, is found in the great rivers of Siberia and can reach weights of up to 200 kg. This species thrives in our climate, making it ideal for extensive pond farming; it also performs exceptionally well in intensive aquaculture settings.
*Acipenser ruthenus*, or the sterlet, is the smallest of the European sturgeon species. The sterlet has a wide distribution range, inhabiting the Caspian Sea region as well as numerous rivers across Eastern Europe and Russia. Our farm maintains an albino breeding population of the sterlet. These albino sterlets produce pure white eggs—and therefore white caviar!
The *Huso huso*—which yields Beluga caviar, the most expensive and prized variety—is also present at the farm, though the fish have not yet reached the optimal age for production. Naturally, this unique species is also being raised to establish a robust broodstock.
In addition to these five European sturgeon species, the farm also houses two American varieties. *Polyodon spatula*, or the American paddlefish, is found in the Mississippi River basin and can weigh up to 80 kg. It is a plankton feeder that swims with its mouth wide open, preferring slow-flowing rivers rich in zooplankton. Paddlefish caviar is similar in size to Sevruga and is a sought-after delicacy in the United States.
Like the paddlefish, *Scaphirhynchus platorynchus*—or the shovelnose sturgeon—inhabits the Mississippi region; however, the shovelnose prefers fast-flowing water. This species reaches a maximum length of one meter and a weight of 4 to 5 kg. In the United States, caviar from *Scaphirhynchus* is known as "Hackleback caviar."
Stable broodstocks are also being actively developed for *Acipenser transmontanus* (white sturgeon) and *Acipenser oxyrinchus* (Atlantic sturgeon).
For further information, please feel free to contact the individuals listed below.
Sturgeon farming consultancy:
Caviar production: