BELUGA STURGEON

The 'beluga sturgeon' or 'European sturgeon' (''Huso huso'') is a species of anadromous fish in the sturgeon family (Acipenseridae) of order Acipenseriformes. It is found primarily in the Caspian and Black Sea basins, and occasionally in the Adriatic Sea. Heavily fished for the female's valuable roe—known as beluga caviar—the beluga is a huge (very old fish of 6 meters/19 feet are known), slow-growing and late-maturing fish that can live for 150 years. The species' numbers have been greatly reduced by overfishing or poaching, prompting many governments to enact restrictions on its trade.
IUCN classifies the beluga as Endangered. It is a protected species listed in appendix III of the Bern Convention and its trade is restricted under CITES appendix II. The Mediterranean population is strongly protected under appendix II of the Bern Convention, prohibiting any intentional killing of these fish.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has banned imports of beluga caviar and other beluga products from the Caspian Sea since October 7, 2005.
The Beluga is a large predator which feeds on other fish. Beluga sturgeons are fish, entirely unrelated to mammalian beluga whales. The word derives from the Russian word for white.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that Belugas may reach a length of up to 8.6m and weigh as much as 2,700 kilograms, making them the largest freshwater fish in the world, larger even than the Mekong giant catfish or the pirarucu. At this mass, the Beluga would be even heavier than the Ocean Sunfish, generally recognized as the largest of bony fishes. But the largest actually confirmed specimens were only about 5,5m and already quite extraordinairy. Nevertheless, some scientists still consider the Mekong giant catfish to be the largest freshwater fish, owing to sturgeons' ability to survive in seawater.
The beluga travels up rivers to breed, as do all sturgeons. In this manner sturgeons are sometimes likened to sea fish, though most scientists still consider them river fish.
Beluga caviar is considered a delicacy worldwide. The meat of the beluga, on the other hand, is not particularly renowned.

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★ Listed as Endangered (EN A2d v2.3)

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★ Annex II of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Naturaabitats. Revised 1 March 2002.

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