Russian and Persian sturgeon are exported internationally for caviar. The fish are also native to the Middle East, Mediterranean, Europe, China, and North America, and have low resilience to environmental change. Pollution, overfishing, and the creation of dams that affect spawning sites have affected the sturgeon populations. Poaching is common because of the high value of caviar. The roe (eggs) are also processed for use in cosmetic products and wine/beer refinery. There is also a large market for sturgeon meat.
Revenue generated from the sturgeon industry was on the rise for 15 years, until the dissolution of the Soviet Union, at which point the sturgeon management was fragmented and sales began to decline. Depletion of resources have also influenced the decline in sales.
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