Caspian beluga sturgeon successfully bred in the US by Sturgeon AquaFarms

Caspian beluga sturgeon successfully bred in the US by Sturgeon AquaFarms

03.25.2011

On March 21, Marky's, a leading importer/exporter and distributor of caviar and other gourmet foods, announced the ground-breaking successful breeding of its domestic stock of beluga sturgeon at Sturgeon AquaFarms.

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Traditionally, the world's finest caviar is from the beluga sturgeon, a threatened species whose importation into the United States has been banned since 2005. Until now, American aqua farms have primarily produced paddlefish roe or California white sturgeon caviar. In using Caspian sturgeon, Marky's will bring an authentic product and unmatched domestic quality to the market.

"Farming beluga sturgeon in the U.S. is the best way to protect the species and continue providing customers with the high-quality and authentic flavor of Russian caviar that they crave," said Mark Zaslavsky, president of Marky's Caviar.

An initial shipment in 2003 marked the first time that live, second generation farm-raised beluga sturgeon had been transported to the U.S. Through a gentle, sustainable extraction procedure, a small number of eggs was removed from one of the female sturgeon. The fertilized eggs were then hatched, and the beluga sturgeon larvae are now healthily growing at the aquaculture facility in Bascom, FL.

In the past few decades, the Caspian's beluga sturgeon population has dropped significantly due to environmental degradation, invasion of exotic species, and over fishing. This has prompted Marky's to purchase and produce only sustainably farmed caviar. Sturgeon AquaFarms uses Floridan aquifer water to raise its fish to ensure they are free of pollution and harmful substances. The roe extraction process allows the life of the fish to continue unharmed.

http://www.gourmetnews.com/index.php?p=article&id=gn201103QAHeIU

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