The Azerbaijan caviar is from the western side of the Caspian Sea. This is the country that is placed between Russia and Iran on the Caspian Sea and has a thriving caviar business.

The Caspian Fish Company is the only legal producer of caviar inside the borders of Azerbaijan and is owned by the Country’s Minister of Caviar and Juice. This same industry was controlled by the Russian Mafia when the USSR was in power in the region.

The country of Azerbaijan has been a major supplier of beluga caviar to the world for hundreds of years. In the early 1900’s Azerbaijan was exporting 55 tones of caviar annually. During the years under the Soviet Union, an agreement between Iran and the USSR reduced the amount of Azerbaijan caviar legally allowed to be exported to only 5.2 tons annually.

After Azerbaijan obtained its independence in the early 1990’s their caviar production returned to its prior glory. In 1993 they were able to export 52 tones of caviar to the world. In 1999 Azerbaijan joined the Convention for International Trade for Endanger Species and has followed the restrictions on the sales of caviar.

In the year 2001 to 2002 the sturgeon population was reported to be reduced in the Azerbaijan area by 40%.

The problem is the illegal poaching of caviar in the Azerbaijan area that is a major concern of the convention. In 2004 there was a reported 2000 attempts by poachers prevented from harvesting caviar with the recovery of 300kg made.

The coastal patrols are still catching poachers, but their numbers have significantly been reduced in recent years. In 2010 there was only 38 kg if caviar that was confiscated by officials.

To help the population of the sturgeons in the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan has been fertilizing a portion of the roe in their control. In 2010 there was a mass release of these fingerlings into the Caspian Sea. This release will need up to 20 years before it will positively affect the population when they mature.

Today you can still find all three types of Caspian Sea sturgeon caviar available for sale to the public. This is online from Musado Wild Nature. Because of the German imported processing plant opened in Azerbaijan in the early 2000’s, this delicacy can be found in glass jars instead of metal tines.

Want to know about Azerbaijan? Watch this video.

Azerbaijan video short version for the class

My First Project

The sale of Azerbaijan caviar is still limited by the Convention for International Trade for Endanger Species, but you can obtain it legally.

Related articles

• Purchase Caviar Online (gourmetfoodblog.org)
• Great Deals on Caviar (gourmetfoodblog.org)
• Beluga Caviar Food Blog (gourmetfoodblog.org)

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