Harvesting
Modern buyers are increasingly more interested in aspects other than the cost of the product and delivery and payment methods. More and more consumers have been wondering if our production is sustainable. Well, the answer is easy.
Black caviar can be produced in two ways: either slaughtering, or milking. Slaughtering implies that fish are killed and their roe is extracted. This extraction method has brought the global sturgeon population to the verge of extinction, because it is not by chance that sturgeon caviar is called “black gold”. Sturgeons live for a long time — some fish can live for a hundred years and even more. In wild nature, females start spawning as soon as they reach the age of 9–18 years (depending on the species) and spawn every two or three years. Sturgeons are listed in the Red Book of endangered species, and hunting wild sturgeon is strictly prohibited across Europe. Alas, poachers do not seem to care.
Fortunately, milking is another, civilized way to get caviar. When this method is use, fish say goodbye to eggs, but not to life. Nothing bad happens to fish, and people can enjoy caviar that is produced in a completely humane and environmentally friendly way. Caviar eggs are not fertilized, which does not affect the taste. After being milked, female sturgeons rest for two years before they are ready for new milking. The spawning school of ‘milk’ sturgeons is a matter of special pride and care for any farm, and we are no exception.