The King of Caviar
 In September 2005, the US banned beluga caviar imports after SeaWeb’s Caviar Emptor campaign petitioned the US Fish and Wildlife Service to list the beluga sturgeon under the Endangered Species Act. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) banned the international trade in most wild caviar in January 2006 because of the continued threat of illegal fishing to sturgeon populations, and the failure of the Caspian nations to develop a comprehensive sturgeon management and recovery plan.
In 2005, Jones’ company, Sturgeon, became involved in SeaWeb’s program L’Autre Caviar (“The Other Caviar”), which launched in French-speaking Europe last November. France is the second-largest market for wild caviar, after the United States, and is also one of the leading producers of farmed caviar. L’Autre Caviar is the sister campaign of the US-based Caviar Emptor and works for better protection of Caspian Sea sturgeon while urging consumers to choose farmed caviar instead. We sat down with him this holiday season to discuss his approach to environmentally-friendly aquaculture and involvement with SeaWeb.
My background is in marine biology [Jones completed his doctorate at the Lowestoft Fisheries Research lab in the UK], so I’ve always been interested in the ocean, its resources, and what we can do to make sure its bounty is sustainably managed. A few years ago, I noticed that wild caviar was becoming more and more scarce because of overfishing and environmental deterioration in the Caspian Sea, and I became interested in providing an eco-friendly and high-quality alternative.
Sturgeon is committed to making sure our impact on the surrounding environment is minimal. We have elaborate water treatment systems on our farms, and we have measures in place to prevent any fish from escaping. We are very supportive of efforts by local fisherman and NGOs to help revive the edangered stock of European sturgeon found in our region.
I liked SeaWeb’s approach to ocean conservation. There is clearly a problem with what is happening in the Caspian Sea. SeaWeb’s L’Autre Caviar campaign addresses that problem by highlighting an alternative to wild caviar so connoisseurs have a choice and a hand in the solution. Also, I like the fact that it’s an opportunity for the industry to work together with environmental organizations. In order to tackle more of the environmental problems facing us, groups that traditionally have been at odds must continue to work together.
It’s a situation that should have been avoided, but as sadly often happens catch quotas are being applied too late. I am not one of those sturgeon farmers who feel there should only be farmed product available. There should be wild product on the market as well and it’s unfortunate that the fishery in the Caspian can’t support international demand at the moment.
Overfishing, without a doubt. Particularly in Europe we have seen the failure of the Common Fisheries Policy and the havoc it has wrecked on our commercial fish stocks. I think that aquaculture has a role in this whole debate, to develop sustainably as an industry while helping to meet the demand for fish.
I think there will be more and more of the farmed product available, as sturgeon farms already established in USA, Europe, South America, UAE, Israel, and Asia increase their output. There is also a need to keep an eye on the industry and ensure it does not become a mechanism for illegal trade or unsustainable practices. We should also explore opportunities for collaboration between sturgeon farmers and the Caspian hatcheries to ensure we have both wild and farmed caviar available for future generations.
My wife Annabelle tastes every batch of caviar that comes through our production line before it is distributed to our clients. Quality control is a vital part of our operations and Annabelle's role is extremely important.
My own, of course! Caviar d’Aquitaine from Siberian sturgeon.
Some people like caviar with all the bells and whistles, but I think there is nothing better than to taste caviar off the back of the hand between the thumb and forefinger. This is the way to experience the full flavour of caviar.
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How did you get involved in the sturgeon farming business?
What is your feeling on what is happening in the Caspian Sea fishery?
What is your favorite caviar?