Criteria met: High volume (globally threatened)
Principal trade term to the EU: caviar
Percentage of global trade to the EU: 7%
Principal source: wild
Top EU importer: Poland
Top Trading Partner: United States
CITES Appendix: II
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
EU-reported imports of wild-sourced Polyodon spathula caviar (kg), all purposes, 2001-2010.
In 2010, EU imports consisted of 2,239 kg of wild-sourced caviar and 55,000 captive-born (source ‘F’) live eggs imported directly from the United States; all of the trade was for commercial purposes, with the exception of 5,000 live eggs imported for scientific purposes.
EU imports of wild-sourced caviar have declined every year since 2008, with a 16% decrease between 2009 and 2010.
The SRG reconfirmed a positive opinion for the United States on 12/03/2009. The conservation and trade of Acipenseriformes are discussed at each meeting of the Animals Committee in accordance with Resolution Conf. 12.7 (Rev. CoP14).