dine
foodie
notes
4
The sevruga is the smallest sturgeon caught commercially.
It grows to a maximum of 1.5m (5ft) and rarely exceeds
25kg (55lb) in weight. It has a snub nose with a long snout
and two sets of barbels, just above its small mouth. Like the
oscietre, the sevruga is an omnivore and bottom-feeds on
algae and small crustacea.
It has very distinctive bony scales down its length, which
resemble stars, and for this reason it is sometimes known as
the star sturgeon. It has a striking backbone and mottled
body, which may be deep blackish-brown, cinnamon-
brown, ash-grey or nearly black. Sevruga are nearly always
darker when living in the sea than they are in rivers. The
eggs are grey-black with a fine grain, small and have the
strongest flavour of all sturgeon eggs. Among connoisseurs
they are the most highly appreciated for their unique taste.
