Caspian Sea

Epicures Rejoice - UN Lifts Beluga Caviar Ban

Filed under: Dining

The world's finest beluga caviar will be available once again following an agreement by five producer countries on export quotas for the luxe delicacy, the United Nations' watchdog on endangered species has announced. Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan agreed at a meeting in Tehran on new quotas which will be in effect through February 2011, the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species said in a statement. A temporary ban on wild caviar was imposed in 2001 due to a depletion of stocks amid high levels of poaching and illegal trade in the Caspian Sea. In 2002, countries sharing a stock of sturgeon automatically had zero quotas unless they reached a consensus on a sustainable level of exports. Trade in beluga was halted last year as the countries failed to agree on quotas. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan still have zero quotas, but Iran can now produce 800 kg, Kazakhstan 1,500 kg, and Russia 700 kg. Expect it to cost a small fortune if you're lucky enough to get your hands on some.

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Tags: beluga caviar, Caspian Sea, caviar, delicacy, endangered species, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, sturgeon, United Nations

River Beluga Caviar, Recapturing a Classic

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Ever since 2005 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service enacted its ban on the importation of Beluga caviar originating in the Caspian Sea and Black Sea basin, entrepreneurs have been struggling to find a farmed alternative capable of recapturing the most exclusive of caviars' classic attributes. After several years of development, the Caviar Merchant Company recently announced the first offering of its River Beluga Caviar, a delectable substitute that captures the very essence of the wild original and can fairly claim to be the finest alternative with impressively consistent quality. Derived from the Huso Daricus Sturgeon whose natural habitat is the Amur River bordering Russia and China, production of River Beluga Caviar takes place twice a year, for which Iranian (i.e. Caspian, where the original is from) processing teams or "saltmasters" are are flown in to oversee and conduct production. Available from $200 an ounce, the finished product is rich, buttery, smooth and decadently delicious. We recommend ultra-premium vodka or fine French champagne as an accompaniment.

Tags: Beluga caviar, Caspian Sea, caviar, Caviar Merchant Company, China, Russia, sturgeon

Can You Get Wild Caspian Sea Caviar for New Year's Eve?

by Deb West (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Luxist has been following the availability of wild Caspian Sea caviar for years. Caviar aficionados remember the first ban on Beluga caviar that went into effect in September 2005 that made it illegal to import the delicacy to the United States until it was lifted by the United Nations in 2007. Since the removal of the ban, coveted wild Caspian Sea caviar has been available but the prices have been astronomical and both the availability and quality spotty.

According to David Rosengarten, a food and wine writer, cook book author and former host of an award wining Food Network television show, it may not be possible to buy anything other than farm raised caviar for New Year's Eve. He reports in Tasting's, his ezine, that Petrossian, winner of the Luxist Reader's Choice Award, will not be selling anything but farm-raised caviar and none of it from the Caspian Sea. He also states that we shouldn't despair as their are so many delicious alternatives to the original Beluga caviar. Among his favorites is Petrossian's Avelrta President caviar which is farmed in northern California from white sturgeon.

A discreet phone call to Petrossian revealed that it is in fact accurate that they have recently sold out of their supply of high grade wild caviar which was retailing for a whopping $20,000 a kilo. Assurances were made that the supply is fluid and that there will be more available. You may have to win the lottery as the price of the wild caviar is in the category of "if you have to ask, you can't afford it". That being said, Petrossian is committed to retaining wild caviar for their VIP customers. For the rest of us, they provide an incredible selection of varieties of farmed caviar.

The silver lining to the shortage of the wild Caspian Sea caviar is that it gives us all a good excuse to break free from the traditional definitions of what is the "best" caviar. Let your taste buds decide which variety and style of farm raised eggs you like the most.

Tags: caspian, caspian sea, CaspianSea, caviar, New Years Eve, NewYearsEve, Petrossian

Karat Caviar, Outstanding Osetra from Israel

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Crystal Clear spring water from Mount Herman and the finest selection of many generations of pure Russian Sturgeon go into making Karat Caviar, a recently introduced aquacultured Osetra caviar from Israel that took 16 years to develop, with incredibly delicious results. Karat uses the same Russian Sturgeon species (Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii) found in the famed Caspian Sea, raised in the most natural settings under pristine conditions to produce an imperial grade product usually associated only with increasingly scarce wild sturgeon.

Karat Caviar is produced by Caviar Galilee, one of the longest running fish farms in Israel, which has been involved in aquaculture since 1939. The Caviar Galilee Farm began growing Russian Sturgeon in 1992, when the first fertilized eggs were imported directly from Russia. The Farm is located in close proximity to the main source of the Jordan River – the Dan Springs, which flow with crystal clear snow waters from the peaks of Mount Hermon. The natural flow of water which gravitates through the Farm enables fish breeding in water that is clear, pure and rich in oxygen.

The Russian Osetra is produced from ten to eleven year-old fish. During the production process, the caviar is produced separately from each single fish and is then packed separately ensuring the product's purity, without mixing caviar from different fish. Freshness, consistent high quality, large pearl size, fine taste and texture and sustainability are the watchwords of Karat, which aims to put the rest of the farmed caviar trade to shame. Karat's exclusive 100% pure Russian Osetra is now available at Dean & DeLuca under the Galilee label, as well as at Zabar's and Whole Foods in the Southeast.

Tags: Caspian Sea, CaspianSea, caviar, Dean DeLuca, DeanDeluca, food-awards, Israel, Karat Caviar, KaratCaviar, luxist-awards, Russia, sturgeon

Black River Caviar from Uruguay, "Wild-Raised"

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

When it comes to caviar you traditionally have a choice between the incredibly expensive and increasingly scarce wild variety from the Caspian Sea, the farm-raised variety produced with varying degrees of success around the globe, and a host of sub-par imitation or substitute options. Black River Caviar from Uruguay has ushered in a newer contender that aims to fit in somewhere between the first two and be the best of both worlds, dubbed "wild-raised." The process involves replicating the sturgeon's natural habitat as closely as possible.

Black River Ossetra Malossol Caviar is produced from Siberian sturgeon, originally imported as fertilized roe from Russia in 1995. The sturgeon are fed an all-natural, organic feed. Black River's facilities are harmoniously adapted to the environment and best utilize the pristine natural habitat that is Uruguay's Rio Negro. Unlike most farm-raised systems, which involve recirculated water requiring treatment with filters and chemical products, Black River uses millions of gallons of fresh water.

The system involves a fresh water lake whose environment corresponds very closely to that of the lake-like Caspian Sea with its slow and natural water streams, as well as a "raceways" system, which is a perfect simulation of the river delta and its requisite rapids. The volume of water running through the system guarantees a totally unspoiled environment in which the water is naturally oxygenated when flowing through a cascade system, simulating the female fishes' natural journey up the river.

The continuous exercise the sturgeon get in this environment from constantly swimming against the fresh water streams allows them to grow and mature in a fashion which ensures a quality akin to their wild counterparts. After harvesting, Black River's Russian Caviar Master uses the malossol, or "little salt" method, to enhance flavor of the finished product. The delectable large grain caviar (above), has a fresh, clean, nutty taste, and creamy texture. Ice cold vodka is the perfect accompaniment, but champagne works well too.

Tags: Black River Caviar, BlackRiverCaviar, Caspian Sea, CaspianSea, caviar, fish, Russia, sturgeon, Uruguay, vodka

The Changing World of Caviar Production

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

In 2008, it looks the ongoing battles for caviar will be heating up. The fight for the Caspian Sea is starting to get more contentious. In the past, we've mentioned the concerns over the sea and the sturgeon in the sea which are the world's biggest source of caviar. On Monday, Iran firmed up their demand for a share of around 20 percent of the Caspian Sea. There are five Caspian sea states, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. In October, at a summit in Tehran, the five states pledged to work out an agreement to divide the sea but have not agreed on the boundaries yet. Iran's coast is less than 14% of the sea but they think the sea's resources should be divided into five equal portions. The sea is also a source of oil reserves. In terms of caviar the question isn't just access to the sturgeon but also how much caviar, if any, should be harvested. The sturgeon, which can live to over 100 years but mature slowly, are being fished out of existence.

Meanwhile, the black market in caviar continues apace, especially in Russia where the growing ranks of big spenders have an increasing demand for the delicacy. This occurs just as depleted sturgeon stocks have led to bans on caviar. In Russia recently a large crime ring that dealt in illegal caviar was busted. An article in the Independent asserts that most of the caviar sold in Moscow is illegal. The article also states that even the poachers on the Caspian Sea are having trouble making a living.

It is certain that the world of caviar will have to change simply because the Caspian Sea is being fished out. This also represents an opportunity for growing caviar industries in other parts of the world. We've seen a variety of different caviar options arise over the past few years (Check a list of some beluga alternatives i wrote about in 2006) ranging from sturgeon farms in California to paddlefish, trout or salmon roe and even caviar made from seaweed.

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Tags: caspian sea, caviar, expire-images:2008-12-31, iran, russia, sturgeon

Caviar Ban Lifted

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

2006 was the year of the caviar ban in the Caspian Sea. During that time we saw the rise of American caviar including the veneration of the paddlefish as the new future of caviar. We even compiled a list for how to survive without Caspian caviar. Now the UN has lifted the caviar ban, publishing quotas for five countries -- Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan. A decision of beluga, the most expensive variety, has been delayed. The sturgeon is still in peril but the countries are allowed to sell 96 tons of caviar in 2007 which is just 15 percent below the 2005 level. It's great news for caviar junkies and for the countries bordering the Caspian Sea but it is most likely depressing news for the American and European caviar producers who have enjoyed the increased attention and business over the past year.

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Tags: ban, beluga, caspian sea, caviar, endangered, sturgeon

The Caviar Ban Goes Global

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

A few months ago the United States banned beluga caviar now the New Scientist reports that the worldwide trade in wild caviar has banned. The major caviar-producing countries were unable to prove to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) that their stocks of wild sturgeon are sustainable. The ban does not apply to farmed sturgeon. A 30% decline in wild sturgeon stocks in 2004 led to the ban which will affect Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro and Ukraine.The hope is that a ban on caviar will help save the endangered fish and stop illegal poaching. Countries that want to export sturgeon products have to show that their catch and export quotas don't put fish in peril. Importers are responsible for making sure their imports are legal and have to have registration systems for processing and repackaging caviar.

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Tags: beluga, caspian sea, caviar, endangered species, russia, sturgeon

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