Bulgaria leads Europe in the export of black caviar, as announced on January 23 by Assoc. Prof. Violin Raykov from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oceanology.
The export process operates on a quota system regulated by the Ministry of Environment and Water, with specific companies in Bulgaria being granted export quotas, noted Assoc. Prof. Raykov.
Sturgeons are one of the most endangered fish species globally.
As of January 1, 2026, a permanent ban on fishing for all sturgeon species in Bulgaria’s Danube River section and the Black Sea has been implemented; capturing wild sturgeons is entirely forbidden, the expert highlighted.
Their endangered status is mainly due to habitat destruction, migration corridor disruptions, water pollution, poaching, and illegal caviar trade.
The Institute of Oceanology in Varna plans to study sturgeon migration and spawning sites. The species will be tagged, and satellite monitoring will identify critical breeding areas.
There are six sturgeon species, with two already extinct. Four are critically endangered, with some being diadromous—a term for migratory species that travel between freshwater (Danube) and saltwater (Black Sea) environments.
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