Atlantic Sturgeon Caviar is derived from the roe of the Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrhyncus). The Atlantic Sturgeon is Native to the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the US. The Atlantic Sturgeon has a long, heavy body, covered with five rows of bony external plates. There has been no record size recorded, but the Atlantic Sturgeon has been known to grow up to fifteen feet in length and weigh over 800lbs.
The Atlantic Sturgeon is hatched and lives in rivers until about six years of age before moving into the ocean to mature and they have been known to live up to 100 years in age. Once mature, they move back up river to spawn and will remain in the river until the water gets cold in the fall. Unlike some other species of fish, sturgeons do not die after spawning and will spawn many times during their life. The female Atlantic Sturgeon can lay up to 3.7 Million eggs at one time. The Atlantic Sturgeon is a bottom feeder and uses its shovel-like nose to dig at the bottom of the river or ocean to find mollusc, crustaceans and small fish.
Currently, the Atlantic Sturgeon is an endangered species and it is illegal to catch them in most states. In the areas where they are allowed to be caught, they are harvested for meat and also for their caviar. The Atlantic Sturgeon is allowed to be fished in Canada and is currently fished most commonly out of the Saint John river in New Brunswick, Canada. Atlantic Sturgeon Caviar is loved for its for full-bodied flavour and can range between jet-black to amber-brown in colour.