International trade in caviar has been suspended after the Convention on International trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) did not approve 2006 caviar export quotas for Caspian Sea states. The provisional ban has been placed on countries surrounding the Caspian Sea after they failed to provide the scientific basis to assess the sustainability of their sturgeon stocks.
Among the countries listed on the ban, were Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, which supplies over 90% of the world’s caviar. However, CITES said that the ban would be lifted once caviar exporting countries supplied the missing data.
Since 1998, all 27 sturgeon species have been listed by CITES, meaning that the export of caviar and other sturgeon products have to be strictly controlled, with exporters having to produce permits and specific labelling requirements. To have its proposed quota published, caviar exporting governments must show that the trade is not detrimental to the long term survival of the species; however, this requirement has not been met.
“Countries wishing to export sturgeon products from shared stocks must demonstrate that their proposed catch and export quotas reflect current population trends and are sustainable,” said Willem Wijnstekers, secretary general, CITES, to the BBC.
“To do this, they must also make full allowance for the amount of fish caught illegally,” he added.
Last year, there was an estimated 12,000kg of illegal caviar seized by European authorities, most of which originated from Iran and Russia. It is estimated that world sturgeon populations have declined by as much as 70% over the past few decades, with species native to the Caspian Sea and rivers suffering most.
The ban is expected to affect restaurants throughout the region, as although they will be able to continue using available stock, no fresh deliveries will be able to be made. Additionally, if CITES does not lift this ban then the region will have to rely more heavily on sturgeon farm stocks, which could greatly increase the price of caviar.
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