In April 2022, a Kentucky man was sentenced to one year of prison because of harvesting a sturgeon illegally. The Rolling Stones also reported in April on California police officers uncovering an illegal sturgeon poaching ring when authorities discovered a 7-foot still-living sturgeon in the back of a suspect’s gray hatchback during a traffic stop. Although no one in the California sturgeon bust has been sentenced yet, it is expected that suspects will receive harsh sentences.

So why are people catching sturgeon without a licenses and out of season, and, why are they going to jail for a seemingly long time for just fishing outside of a state’s regulations? The answer to this is complicated, and we will get into it, but in short, these individuals aren't just fishing for sturgeon, but for their roe (eggs). These eggs can be turned into caviar, which can be sold on the black market for high prices. In this article, we will discuss the history of both the legal and illegal caviar trade and why individuals risk it all to obtain this lucrative fish product.