Sturgeon

Strange and rare, sturgeon (family Acipenseridae) were highly esteemed in the past for their reddish flesh; their cartilaginous external plates that meant fewer internal bones; their large size, with some individuals growing to six hundred or more pounds; and the sturgeon caviar, which was favored over other sorts. Sturgeon are found in the Northern Hemisphere, with seven species in North America, caught in both lakes and saltwater. Lake sturgeon (Acipsenser fulvescens, family Acipenseridae) are found in North American lakes. By the beginning of the twentieth century sturgeon had been almost entirely eliminated from the Great Lakes because it was believed that sturgeon were eating the eggs of favored species, particularly walleye. Sturgeon has been fished commercially, mostly in Canadian waters. The fish can live to be 150 years old and grow to great size. In 1968 a 162-pound fish was caught in the Rainy River in Minnesota. At one time, fish weighing more than 250 pounds were pulled from the Great Lakes. Sturgeon ranges from most waters that empty into Hudson Bay to Louisiana. Sturgeon flesh and roe are valuable and bring a higher price than do those of any other freshwater species. The flesh is richly flavored, white, and firm. Smoking is the most common method of preparation. The eggs are prized as caviar.