Beluga is one of the largest predatory fish. Previously, it was a fairly common species, however, due to the constantly deteriorating environmental situation, as well as the increasing cases of poaching, the beluga was recognized as an endangered species and listed in the Red Book.

The main advantage of such a fish as beluga is the cost. The fish, although it has rather tough meat, is much cheaper (no more than $ 15 per kilogram) than most sturgeon representatives, while not inferior to them in its taste.

Since beluga caviar is one of the most expensive in the world, the beluga population in natural conditions is so insignificant that it is supported only by breeding fish in fish farms and private reservoirs.

Sturgeon family: description

Fish belong to the sturgeon family, the first representatives of which appeared many centuries ago. They differ from other types of fish characteristic features appearance, main feature which is five rows of bone shields located along the elongated body of the beluga.

Like all sturgeon fish, the beluga has an elongated head, while in its lower part there are 4 antennae that reach the mouth of the beluga. In addition, the structure of sturgeons contains features of cartilaginous fish that are more primitive in structure, but the main hallmark sturgeons is that the base of their skeleton is an elastic cartilaginous chord, thanks to which the fish fully develops even taking into account the fact that it has no vertebrae in its structure.

The most common sturgeon species include various varieties of sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, kuluga, beluga and sterlet. These are quite large fish, among which the largest is the beluga. The fish can reach a length of up to 4 meters. At the same time, the weight of some individuals in rare cases exceeds a ton. Despite the fact that the beluga is found in large numbers mainly within the Caspian and Black Seas, where it is distributed almost everywhere, during the spawning period, the beluga literally fills large freshwater rivers.

Beluga: description of the fish

Beluga is one of the largest freshwater fish. Depending on the habitat, its weight reaches from 50 kg to 1 ton. The average weight of beluga fish caught in industrial scale, ranges from 50-80 kg. This migratory fish is a real long-liver, because the age of some individuals reaches one century.

In fact, the beluga is a predator that begins to hunt even in the fry stage. Individuals that spend most of their lives in sea water feed mainly on fish. In addition, in nature, beluga can form mixed (hybrid) varieties, among which crossings are most common:

• With sterlet - forms a fish called bester, which is the most common beluga hybrid. It is grown as the main source of prey sturgeon fish on an industrial scale. This is explained primarily good performance its meat obtained during processing, as well as direct nutritional value, as a result of which the quality of products created from this fish allows maintaining a consistently high demand for it.
• stellate sturgeon.
• Spike fish.
• Sturgeon.

These beluga hybrids are common both within the Sea of ​​Azov and in some reservoirs.

Distinctive features

In addition to its size, this fish can be distinguished from other representatives of sturgeon by a thick cylindrical body and a short pointed nose. It is slightly translucent as a result of the fact that there are no bone shields on it. Her mouth occupies the entire width of her head, a thick lip hangs over it. The antennae on the lower part of the head differ from the similar organ of other fish belonging to the sturgeon group in their width and length: in other fish they are smaller. The bony shields on the head, flanks, and peritoneum are underdeveloped. On the back, the number of scutes reaches 13, on the sides - 40-45, and on the peritoneum does not exceed 12.

Ash-gray color prevails on the body of the beluga. The color of the belly ranges from white to light gray, the nose is yellowish.

Beluga meat

Unlike other fish, beluga meat is rather coarse in structure, but nevertheless it has excellent taste qualities, for which it is valued all over the world. Excellent balyk products are made from it. In addition, many cold and hot dishes are made from it, as well as a variety of snacks.

It is from the beluga that the best caviar is obtained, catching on an industrial scale individuals whose weight starts from 5 kg, however, since the beluga is the largest freshwater fish, its weight in most cases significantly exceeds these figures. Despite the fact that beluga fish is a long-liver, the maximum age of individuals caught on an industrial scale does not exceed 30-40 years.

Habitat

The main habitats of the beluga are the Black and Caspian Seas with all the rivers flowing into them. In fact, the beluga is a fish that lives most of the time in the water, and enters the rivers only when it reaches an age suitable for breeding.

After that, she returns back to the sea, but already together with the fry. It is noteworthy that she prefers not to go far, even though due to her impressive size, she can have little to no fear of attack from others. freshwater predators. In addition, the beluga has almost completely stopped natural reproduction, and its population is mainly supported by fish farms and private reservoirs.

Zimovye

Beluga is a red fish that prefers to winter in yatovs (river pits), where it goes out in order to rise and spawn with the onset of spring. Young growth prefers to go to the winter quarters in the rivers or settle on an insignificant sea ​​depth. At an average depth, the beluga prefers to rest, having already spawned and returned to the sea before the first frost. The largest and most adult individuals can only be found on great depth, however, due to their physiological features most of them are no longer able to reproduce.

During the onset of cold weather, the body of the beluga is covered with a thick layer of mucus (sleum), and the fish falls into a state of stupor, until the onset of a thaw. At the same time, the beluga, falling into hibernation, stocks up on food for several months. When beluga is caught during this period, completely undigested mollusks, small crustaceans and the remains of waterfowl wintering on rivers are often found in its stomach.

spawning

Beluga spawning different sizes takes place in different time, however, in the youngest individuals, this period falls in the middle of spring and lasts until autumn. The place for spawning is deep places with a fast current, in which a rocky or cartilaginous bottom prevails. Some of the spawning individuals go to the deepest and coldest places on the river, and some return to the sea.

Beluga caviar is quite large and resembles peas in size. It is noteworthy that one individual can reproduce caviar volumes that make up 1/5 of its body. In this case, the number of eggs reaches several million. Young fish soon go to sea, where they live until they reach sexual maturity.

Meals and cost

Beluga is a fish whose food is mainly mollusks, crustaceans and small fish. In some cases, it can eat birds resting or hunting on the water, as well as small freshwater animals.

Within the Caspian Sea, it serves as the main source of fishing, and although the beluga is a fish whose price is much lower than for sturgeon (from 10-15 dollars per kilogram), its unique large caviar is much more expensive than other red fish. An example is the “diamond” caviar of albino beluga, the cost of which reaches 18,000 euros. This cost is due to the fact that albino beluga spawns its rich golden caviar approximately once every 100 years. At the same time, no more than 8-10 kg of caviar goes on sale in Europe per year.

• The commodity weight of the beluga starts from 5 kilograms, but the most big beluga fish reached a length of 7 meters and weighed more than one and a half tons.
• Fish, going to spawn, try to pick up perfect place, not finding which, may not spawn at all.
• Starting to spawn, the beluga breaks the bottom and lays eggs in the environment. a large number snags and reeds.
• It spawns up to a million eggs, which are highly valued by amateurs from all over the world.

Biological features

Beluga can be divided into two main varieties:

• winter:
• spring.

This fish leads an exclusively bottom-pelagic way of life.

In the sea it keeps mostly alone. The period of puberty occurs in males at 12-15 years old, and in females - at 16-18 years old, while it must be remembered that, since the beluga is a long-lived fish, individuals whose age exceeds the mark of 50-60 years completely lose ability to reproduce offspring.

Beluga, which is bred in captivity, reproduces by artificial insemination. In addition, thanks to this method, it was possible to breed most of the beluga hybrids grown in fisheries.

Sturgeon and Beluga in particular are considered very valuable food fish. However, due to a sharp decline in the number of natural populations in the second half of the 20th century, beluga fish is currently listed in the Red Book as rare view. However, it can be grown in artificial conditions, albeit with certain difficulties. Beluga caviar is the most expensive caviar in the world.

Beluga is a migratory fish, that is, it lives in the seas, but rises to the rivers to spawn. This species lives in the Caspian, Azov and Black Seas.

The most numerous is the Caspian population of beluga, in this sea it can be found everywhere. The main spawning ground for the Caspian beluga is the Volga. Also, a small number of these fish spawn in the Ural, Kura and Terek rivers. A very insignificant number spawns in small rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea on the territory of Azerbaijan and Iran. But in general, it can be found in any river that is close enough to those places in the Caspian Sea where beluga fish are found.

In the past, spawning beluga entered the rivers far enough - hundreds and even thousands of kilometers. For example, along the Volga, it rose to Tver and even to the upper reaches of the Kama. However, due to the construction of numerous hydroelectric power stations on the rivers flowing into the Caspian, modern Belugas have to limit themselves only to the lower reaches.

Previously, the Azov population of beluga was quite numerous, but by today it is on the verge of extinction. From the Sea of ​​Azov, fish rise to the Don and, in very small quantities, to the Kuban River. As in the case of the Caspian beluga, natural spawning grounds upstream were cut off by the construction of a hydroelectric power station.

Finally, in the Black Sea, where the beluga fish lives, its population is also very small and concentrated mainly in the north-west of the sea, although there have been cases of its appearance off the coast. southern Crimea, Caucasus and northern Turkey. For spawning, the local beluga is dressed in three major rivers region - the Danube, the Dnieper and the Dniester. Some individuals spawn in the Southern Bug. Before the construction of the hydroelectric power station on the Dnieper, beluga was caught in the Kyiv region and even in Belarus. A similar situation with the Dniester. But along the Danube, it can still rise quite far - up to the Serbian-Romanian border, where one of the two Danube hydroelectric power stations is located.

Until the 70s. of the last century, the beluga was sometimes caught in the Adriatic Sea, where it went to spawn in the Po River. However, in the last few decades, not a single case of catching beluga in this region has been noted, which is why the Adriatic beluga is considered extinct.

Beluga - sturgeon fish; considered the largest of all freshwater fish. In historical chronicles, there are controversial references to the catching of individuals up to 9 meters long and weighing up to 2 tons. However, those sources that do not raise doubts give no less impressive figures.

For example, a book on the state of Russian fishing from 1861 mentions a beluga weighing 90 pounds (one and a half tons), caught near Astrakhan in 1827. A reference book on freshwater fish of the USSR published in 1948 mentions a female beluga weighing 75 pounds (more than 1200 kg), which was caught in the Caspian Sea near the mouth of the Volga in 1922. Finally, everyone can personally see a stuffed animal of a one-colored beluga exhibited at the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan in the city of Kazan.

The latest case of catching such massive individuals was recorded in 1989, when a beluga weighing 966 kg was caught in the Volga Delta. Her stuffed animal can also be seen in one of the museums, but already in Astrakhan.

According to experts, the largest beluga fish should be tens of years old. It is possible that some individuals could be 100 or more years old. However, these are all exceptional cases. Average weight fish going to spawn in rivers is 90-120 kg for females and 60-90 kg for males. However, even such sizes the beluga reaches only at the age of 25-30 years. And immature young growth usually weighs no more than 20-30 kg.

If we leave alone the incredible size of this fish, then in general it has a typical appearance for sturgeons. She has a massive oblong cylindrical body and a small pointed nose. The beluga has a blunt short snout and a large crescent-shaped mouth. The mouth is bordered by a thick "lip". On the snout there are wide massive antennae.

The head and torso are dotted with symmetrical rows of bone shields (the so-called bugs): 12-13 on the back, 40-45 on the sides and 10-12 on the belly. The dominant color in the color of the beluga is gray, which is painted on the back, sides and top part heads. From below, the beluga is painted white.

The first thing that is mentioned in any description of the beluga fish is its way of spawning. The main place of life of this fish is the sea, but it goes to spawn in big rivers, which has already been mentioned earlier.

It is noteworthy that the beluga has the so-called spring and winter forms (races). In particular, fish enter the Volga in two waves: in the first half of autumn - winter, in the first half of spring - spring. However, winter beluga still dominates in this river, which winters in river pits, and then immediately starts spawning in April-May. In the Ural River, on the contrary, most beluga belong to the spring race, they spawn immediately after entering the river, and then swim back into the sea.

Like any sturgeon, beluga is a predatory fish. The young growth feeds on all kinds of invertebrates and mollusks, extracting them from the bottom in the mouths of the rivers. After going out to the open sea, the grown up young animals quickly switch to feeding on fish. In the Caspian Sea, the basis of the beluga diet is carp, roach, sprat, etc. In addition, the beluga does not disdain eating its own young and other representatives of the sturgeon family. The Black Sea beluga feeds mainly on anchovy and gobies.

The beluga reaches puberty late: males at the 12-14th year, females at the 16-18th. Due to such a long maturation in conditions of intensive industrial fishing, this species was on the verge of extinction.

As already mentioned, beluga spawning falls in the second half of spring, although a significant part of the fish goes to the rivers in the fall. Beluga spawns when the spring flood reaches its peak, and the temperature of the river water is 6-7°C. Caviar rushes on the rapids in deep places(at least 4 meters, more often 10-12 m) with a rocky bottom. One female lays at least 200 thousand eggs, but usually their number goes to millions (up to 8 million). The eggs are quite large, about 4 mm in diameter.

Having finished spawning, beluga fish in the Volga and other rivers quickly go to sea. Young larvae also do not linger in the river.

Since ancient times it has been considered commercial fish high value. Active fishing has been carried out since at least the 6th century BC. In the 20th century, with the development industrial methods Beluga catch has reached unprecedented proportions. For example, in the Volga alone in the 70s, 1.2-1.5 thousand tons of this fish were caught annually.

The unjustifiably intensive catch of red beluga fish, as well as the construction of hydroelectric power stations everywhere in the rivers where it spawns, led to a sharp reduction in its numbers in the second half of the last century. Already in the early 90s, the catch fell to 200-300 tons per year, and at the end of the decade - below 100 tons. Under such conditions Russian authorities in 2000, they banned the commercial fishing of beluga on their territory, and a decade later, other countries of the Caspian region joined the Russian Federation. Things are even worse in the Black and Azov Seas, where the beluga population has shrunk to a meager size.

The actual impossibility to ensure supplies to consumer market meat and, no less important, beluga caviar created conditions for the development fish farms specializing in this type of fish. Today, they are the only legitimate suppliers of this type of product to store shelves. However, poaching, unfortunately, also occupies a significant share of this market.

At fish farms, beluga is bred not only and not so much in its natural form, as it is hybridized with other sturgeons - sterlet, stellate sturgeon and sturgeon. Bester is especially widespread - the fish is the result of crossing beluga and sterlet. It is not only grown in pond farms, but even settled in the Sea of ​​Azov and freshwater reservoirs.

Beluga meat and especially its caviar are considered a true delicacy, from which you can cook a real culinary masterpiece. This fish is subjected to all types of heat treatment: boiled, fried, baked, steamed and grilled. Beluga is also smoked, felled and canned. From beluga meat you can cook the most different types dishes including kebabs and salads.

With all this, beluga as a fish is very healthy. It is low in calories and high content easily digestible protein. Beluga has a lot of essential amino acids that are urgently needed by our body, but they are not synthesized in it, but can only be obtained with food. The meat of this fish contains a lot of calcium and phosphorus, which help restore and strengthen bones, as well as improve the condition of nails and hair. The potassium present in the beluga improves the functioning of the heart muscle, and the iron has a beneficial effect on the composition of the blood.

Beluga meat is rich in vitamin A, which affects visual acuity and skin condition. There are other important vitamins in it: B (important for muscles and nervous tissue), D (prevents the development of rickets and osteoporosis).

Separately, it is worth mentioning beluga caviar. Females throw big black caviar, which is incredibly highly valued by gourmets. Since the industrial catch of beluga is now prohibited, and in aquaculture it takes about 15 years to grow fish to get caviar from it, the cost of this product reaches exorbitant prices. In Russia, 100 grams of beluga caviar costs about 10-20 thousand rubles, a kilogram - up to 150 thousand rubles. In Europe and other markets, the cost of a kilogram of this caviar ranges from 7-10 thousand dollars. It is obvious that it is unrealistic to purchase such caviar in a regular store.

Beluga, as well as bester (fish from sturgeon, a hybrid of beluga and sterlet) can eat artificial feed, and therefore is suitable for commercial fish farming. However, this technology is quite expensive, especially considering that it takes at least 15 years to grow fish to obtain caviar.

Until the larvae reach a weight of 3 grams, they are grown in special trays. Nutrition is provided by both artificial and natural feed. After the larvae reach the specified weight, they are sent for rearing in ponds with a stocking density of about 20,000 specimens per hectare.

Further, the technology of breeding beluga fish at home provides for the transfer of underyearlings to feeding on minced fish of low-value breeds with various additives. At the same time, a significant part of the nutrition of the young will be self-sufficient at the expense of pond invertebrates. The predatory instinct in beluga underyearlings appears at the end of summer, which implies an increase in the proportion of minced meat in its diet.

In beluga underyearlings, weight gain occurs most rapidly under conditions when the temperature and composition of water are close to optimal values, so one of critical tasks the fish farmer is to maintain these optimal conditions in the ponds.

In the first year, the average feed conversion of the beluga is 2.8 units. At the end of the first season, the fish increases its weight from 3 to 150 g. With an average survival rate of underyearlings at the level of 50%, their fish productivity reaches 20 c/ha.

In wintering ponds (optimal reservoirs are from a quarter to a half a hectare at a depth of 2-3 m, devoid of bottom silt and vegetation), underyearlings are planted in the amount of 120 thousand pieces per hectare. Wintering begins in October - November and lasts until March. In winter, the beluga is given feed in the amount of 2% of total weight fish, and in the formation surface ice stop feeding altogether. For beluga underyearlings, it is natural to lose 30-40% of their weight during this time. However, the size of the beluga fish does not change.

In the first ten days of April, the fish are sent back to the feeding ponds, where intensive feeding is immediately applied. Two-year-olds are given low-value fresh-frozen fish. Young growth grows most actively in the second half of summer, and feed conversion increases during this period to 6 kg of feed per 1 kg of weight gain.

When two-year-olds reach a mass of 0.7 kg (by the end of the second season, about half of them) they are sent for sale to the food chain. The rest of the fish is left for another year and grown to a mass of 1.7-2 kg. Under the conditions of high survival rate of two-year-old and three-year-olds (up to 95%), with strict adherence to the cultivation technology, the fish productivity will be 50-75 c/ha.

Beluga - the largest freshwater fish, is now under the threat of destruction. Man illegally beats her for the sake of valuable caviar, changes the usual ways of spawning, destroys and pollutes habitats. Like many other endangered species, the beluga is truly unique. Why is this so, and which beluga is the largest in the world - read about this in the article.

Description of the species

In the large family of sturgeons, which includes 27 species, there are many giants. Partly for their size, as well as for the value and nutritional value of their meat and caviar, these fish have earned the status of commercial fish. Sturgeons inhabit the waters of the Northern Hemisphere. The evolution of these species goes back to the Triassic period and has 208-245 million years. Their heyday fell on the period of 100-200 million years ago, when the earth was still inhabited by dinosaurs. Since then, their appearance has not changed much.

Apart in their family is the beluga (lat. Huso huso). Not only is she the record holder for longevity - individuals over 100 years old are known, but also in size. Beluga, deservedly considered the largest freshwater fish. The weight of the largest specimens caught reached one and a half tons! Body sizes on average range from 2 to 4 meters, although individuals up to 9 m long have also been described.

Beluga does not look quite normal. Looking at it, you can understand a lot about the times of the dinosaurs. The fish body is as if enclosed in a shell of bone, and paths of sharp bone protrusions stretch along the sides. The mouth of the beluga is framed by antennae, which are responsible for the sense of smell - it is excellent in these fish. And this predator has no teeth. The color of the body is dark gray, with a greenish tint, the belly is almost white.

Beluga grows all her life, and since she can live a lot, then her size will be appropriate. Unfortunately, in our time, due to uncontrolled capture, habitat pollution, changes in habitual migration routes and a general deterioration environmental situation, the life expectancy of the beluga has been greatly reduced.

habitats

This giant is found in the Black, Caspian and Azov seas. For spawning, it rises along the Volga to the upper reaches of the Kama. Beluga was also found in the Danube, until a hydroelectric power station was built on this river, and spawning routes were blocked.

Food

Beluga is a predatory fish. She can eat mollusks, worms, insects, but her predominant “dish” is fish. Even beluga fry are predators. large beluga they can even swallow baby seals - they are sometimes found in the stomachs of the Caspian representatives of the species. Feeling hungry after spawning, beluga females grab even inedible objects: snags, stones.

Such giant creatures can find enough food only in the sea, those subspecies that prefer to live in fresh water, do not reach huge sizes.

reproduction

The beluga emerges from the sea and rises high up the rivers to spawn. They spawn only in fresh water, but they can live in both fresh and salt water. Beluga spawning occurs several times in a lifetime. After spawning, she rolls back into the sea.

Belugas take a long time to reach sexual maturity. Males mature in the second ten years of life, and females generally only by the age of 22-25.

Sturgeon fish are unusually prolific, depending on the size of the fish, the number of eggs can vary from 500 thousand to a million. There is evidence that large, by today's standards, 2.5-2.6 m long, the Volga beluga spawns an average of 937 thousand eggs, and the same size Kura - an average of 686 thousand. The fry keep in the delta and on the seaside.

Belugas can spawn only in very clean water. If the reservoir is polluted, the females refuse to spawn, and the eggs that have matured in their bodies are absorbed after a while. The presence of a beluga in a reservoir indicates a favorable environment and a good ecological situation.

Most individuals are caught by poachers while still young, having just reached puberty, which means that they have time to spawn only once. The survival rate of eggs and fry is only 10% of total number swept caviar, so the beluga population is very poorly replenished.

Normally, spawning occurs in one individual up to 10 times in a lifetime, since due to its size and life expectancy, it needs 2 to 4 years to recover between spawning periods.

record holders

Some of the specimens caught are really striking in their size. Many of them have records confirming their size and weight. Who is the champion among beluga:

• There is evidence of beluga whales weighing 2 tons and reaching 9 m, but they are not documented;
• In 1827, in the lower reaches of the Volga, a beluga weighing 90 pounds / 1.5 tons / 9 m long was caught, according to "Studies on the state of fisheries in Russia" dated 1861;

On May 11, 1922, a female beluga weighing 1224 kg was caught in the Caspian Sea, 146.5 kg of caviar were found in it, her head weighed 288 kg, and her body - 667 kg.

Beluga of the same size was also caught in the Caspian Sea in 1924, they found 246 kg of caviar in it.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a beluga 4.17 m long and weighing a ton was mined in the lower reaches of the Volga. Her age was estimated at 60-70 years. A stuffed animal of this individual is now kept in the National Museum of Tatarstan in Kazan;

Another stuffed beluga, which weighed 966 kg and grew up to 4 m 20 cm, is presented in the Astrakhan Museum. This fish was also caught in the Volga delta in 1989, moreover, by poachers. Having taken out the caviar, they anonymously reported such an extraordinary prey. A truck was needed to transport the carcass. Her age was estimated at 70-75 years.

At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries, there are many evidences of the capture of fish weighing 500-800 kg. Currently, due to various adverse factors, beluga rarely reach over 250 kg. An interesting fact is that all the largest beluga are females. Beluga males are always much smaller than females.

Recently, commercial fishing of this fish has been banned, and it is included in the Red Book of Threatened Species. Despite this, poachers deftly circumvent all prohibitions, because the price of beluga caviar on the black market in Russia reaches $600 per kilogram, and $7,000 abroad!

Poaching is much more dangerous than industrial fishing, since it does not take into account either seasonality or population conservation, and, probably, in the not very distant future, such unique look can be completely exterminated and descendants will know about it only from the evidence in the archives.

Beluga is a fish of the sturgeon family, which today is an endangered species as a result of unauthorized capture and cruel extermination for the sake of caviar.

It is the largest fish found in fresh water. It has huge dimensions (the largest known individual reaches 6 m in length, and its weight is about two tons).

Beluga is a fish of the sturgeon family, which today is an endangered species.

Instances of this size are almost non-existent today. Due to the fact that until recently this species was commercial, and also due to the loss of natural spawning grounds, the population has noticeably decreased. So you will not meet an unusually large fish today.

The beluga has a very unusual muzzle for sturgeons. A huge mouth, resembling a giant crescent moon, occupies most of it. The antennae near the mouth are slightly flattened, resembling small leaves in shape, they serve for the sense of smell, which is very developed in these fish. But their eyesight is poor, so they navigate with the help of developed coordination.

Individuals of different sexes have the same color. Dark gray or greenish back and light, almost white belly. The females are usually larger than the males.

Beluga is a unique species that has existed for almost 200 million years and has come down to us, practically without changing its appearance (except for weight). Because of the bone coating, it seems that she is as if chained in a shell in order to safely survive to this day and be protected from attacks by others. predatory inhabitants reservoirs.

Gallery: Beluga fish (25 photos)

The biggest trophies caught by fishermen (video)

habitats

The habitat is mainly Black, Caspian and Sea of ​​Azov. The most large numbers recorded in the Caspian Sea - here this fish can be found most often. For spawning, she goes to the Volga and rises upstream to the upper Kama. This fish was also found off the coast of Iran. A fish elevator was built for it at the Volgograd hydroelectric complex, but due to poor performance, it was not used after a while, and valuable fish ceased to inhabit the Volga en masse.

It is the largest fish found in fresh water.

The Black Sea beluga was also seen off the coast of Yalta, not far from the Crimean coast, and was actively distributed in the Danube (there were about 6 species there). The migration of fish in the Danube had a natural course until a hydroelectric power station was built between Serbia and Romania. As a result, the ways to the usual spawning routes were blocked for many kilometers. Unable to migrate, the population began to lose its genetic activity as a result of crossing between related individuals.

Fish with such a weight can only find enough food in the sea, and their presence in a reservoir indicates a healthy ecological situation. For spawning, this species travels long distances to reach freshwater environments.

If it turns out that the water is polluted, then the female refuses to spawn, and after some time the eggs dissolve in her body.

The fish constantly changes its place of stay in the reservoir, this is also typical for the white beluga, it likes to go to the depths, where there is a strong current, here it finds food, and deep holes are most suitable for recreation. In the spring, when the upper layers of water have warmed up enough, you can see a large fish near the surface and in shallow water.

With the onset of autumn, the fish goes to the depths and changes their behavior and diet, starting to eat shells and crustaceans.

All representatives of the sturgeon family travel long distances in order to find a place for spawning and a sufficient amount of food. Beluga can be found in both salt and fresh water, but some species are only freshwater and live exclusively in rivers. Reproduction occurs only in rivers, and due to the longevity of individuals, a very long period of time is required in order to reproduce offspring.

Beluga (video)

reproduction

Sexual maturity comes quite late. The Azov beluga male is ready for breeding at the age of 12 years, and the female - not earlier than 16-18 years. The Caspian species matures later, so the female becomes sexually mature by the age of 27 and gains her weight. Unlike other fish that die after spawning, azov beluga can produce offspring repeatedly, but with a certain period of time, ranging from 2 to 4 years, so spawning can occur 8-9 times in a lifetime. The female lays on average about a million eggs, and in some cases much more, depending on her size and age.

There are 2 races that go to spawn and choose the spring or autumn migration period. Entering the river from January to May, the female spawns in the same year, and the autumn race, in order to find a place convenient for spawning and safely occupy it, comes in August and is forced to stay for the winter. So she only spawns on next year after going into the river. Falling into hibernation and covered with mucus, the beluga waits until May or June, after which it lays eggs in places with a rocky bottom and rapid current. Males appear in spawning grounds earlier than females, and the fertilization process occurs in almost the same way as in all fish bone type, - externally. In the future, individuals continue to lead a solitary lifestyle.

During spawning, the beluga fish can be observed jumping out of the water, so it provides an easy exit for eggs. Having an oval shape and the size of a small pea, dark gray eggs are glued to stones and, well fixed, remain in this position for up to 8 days. But most of eaten by other fish, and therefore the survival rate is very low.

After spawning occurs, the female is sick for some time and does not take food. After a short break, the need for food increases, and the beluga begins an active search for food. It is almost impossible to find it in such a volume in the river, so sturgeons go back to the sea and find food at great depths. Since the beluga is a predator, its diet is mainly fish. Herring, vobla and anchovies are the most preferred food. Moreover, this predator begins to feed on living organisms while still being a fry. Belugas live in well-warmed areas of shallow water and, as they grow older, go to the sea, eating small invertebrates along the way, and later small fish. They grow rapidly and in a year reach a meter size.

By the way, in order to increase the number of beluga, they catch female adults and extract caviar, after which they carry out artificial insemination and incubated in dedicated apparatus. The fry are allowed to grow up and then released into rivers to grow naturally.

The disadvantages of this method are that juveniles raised in an unnatural environment cannot fully take care of food and do not have a self-preservation instinct. The number of fish that come back is very small. Thus, this method proved to be ineffective.

Fishing and illegal fishing

The strictest ban is imposed on catching all sturgeon breeds. In private farms where they are bred, the ban does not apply. If a rare fish is suddenly caught on the river, then it must be released, or it will be considered poaching. But, despite all the prohibitions, the fishing of valuable fish continues, and the beluga caviar business is flourishing.

Danube beluga - ancient species, which has been preserved since the time of dinosaurs and is carefully guarded, but smuggling continues to gain momentum, and European markets are saturated with caviar of this and other sturgeon breeds. The rather high price is due to the excellent taste. By its properties, beluga caviar exceeds the calorie content of the meat itself and is very useful product supporting health and beauty. Great content a protein that has unique property fully absorbed by the body, and the presence of antioxidants reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. Such valuable qualities of caviar lead to the barbaric destruction of the beluga as a species. Since the fish is on the verge of extinction, it is listed in the world's Red Book and is protected by the law of those states in which it is found.

The Black Sea Beluga was also seen off the coast of Yalta near the Crimean coast, and was actively distributed in the Danube.

In Russia, there is a mechanism of administrative influence on persons engaged in illegal mining of this valuable breed. Large penalties for each individual caught, combined with a fine for illegal fishing, represent impressive amounts. It also provides for criminal liability up to imprisonment for up to 5 years.

As a result, beluga has become a pipe dream for law-abiding anglers, and it will take a lot of time and many problems with fishing licenses to find it.

Many mythical stories associated with a huge fish were told by fishermen. For example, there was a legend about a stone that was found in the kidneys of a giant beluga. Miraculous Properties healings from any ailments and ailments were attributed to him. The owner of such a trophy was protected from all sorts of troubles and misfortunes, attracted good luck and ensured a rich catch and the safety of the vessel in bad weather and storms.

They also said that it was possible to poison yourself with the poison of an enraged beluga. The meat and liver of a young individual were allegedly poisonous, but no one found confirmation of such “facts”. The expression “roar (or scream) like a beluga” is often heard now, but this has nothing to do with the sturgeon representative. Loud sounds publishes a whale with a consonant name - a beluga whale.

Hello everyone! Today we will talk about such fish as Beluga. This is not an ordinary fish. This fish is on the verge of extinction. Why fish because it reaches very large sizes in height in weight, and can also live for about a hundred years. It can also be called a sad fish because of its appearance. Well, now let's talk about everything in order.

Beluga from the sturgeon family. It does not have a permanent place of residence, therefore it is considered a semi-transit. Spawning in rivers lives in the seas and rivers. Why can't it be called completely marine or freshwater fish?

The fact is that large individuals switch to marine cuisine only when there is not enough food for them in the rivers. Up to a certain size, she can live quietly in rivers and creeks, but when food starts to be scarce, then she switches to marine inhabitants. The diet includes herring, gobies, sprat, in a word, a predator. In the rivers they eat everything they can catch from roach to crucian carp. The Black, Azov, Caspian Seas in these seas the beluga lives.

What is the largest beluga caught

With regards to size, the largest Beluga, according to unconfirmed reports, weighed over two tons and was about nine meters long. If the information can be confirmed, then the beluga can easily be considered the largest freshwater fish on the planet.

There are also accurate data on already caught fish. So in 1827, the weight of fish caught in the lower reaches of the Volga River amounted to one and a half tons 1500 kg. In the same place in the Volga in 1922, the catch amounted to 75 pounds, which by our standards is about 1224 kg. The head weighed 146 kg, and the calves were almost 259 kg in it. It’s not even likely to be imagined, like this, the catch, the whole village can be provided with meat and there will still be left for itself.

AT present time such giants are practically not caught, although here is an example for you relatively not so long ago, but already in the last century in 1970, a beluga weighing 1000 kg was caught for almost 100 kg of caviar. because of tasty meat and heavy weight it was caught on an industrial scale. The average commercial weight is 50-70 kg.

Beluga is a long resident among freshwater fish

Beluga is a long resident among fish and can live up to 100 years. Can spawn many times, unlike their fellow Pacific salmon, which spawn only once in their lifetime, and die after spawning.

Completely ready for breeding, these giants become almost like people. Well, judge the males themselves mature by the age of 15-18, and the females not earlier than at the age of 16-27. The average number of eggs thrown in is considered to be about 715 thousand eggs. The fertility of the beluga depends on the size of the female, as well as on the habitat. In the Volga beluga, this number ranges from 500 thousand to a million, and the Kurinskys in the same size give 640 thousand eggs. It all depends on the habitat and living conditions.

The most expensive caviar is beluga

As for the caviar itself. Beluga eggs are quite large 1.4-2.5 mm. The weight of the caviar is almost half the weight of the female. It has a pleasant delicate nutty flavor.

Dark grey colour, brilliant shade, strong smell, all this made the caviar so tasty that on the black market in Russia the buyer is ready to pay about 620 euros per kg for such a product without haggling. Abroad, for beluga caviar, you can get about 7,000 euros. This price is made up of palatability of this caviar and from the fact that in Russia you can’t officially buy or sell anywhere beluga caviar. All transactions are under the black flag.

Today in Russia there is a ban on catching beluga, as it is on the verge of extinction. Beluga is also listed in the Red Book. This is a rather risky business to catch beluga. Because the deadlines are huge.

Taste qualities of beluga meat

Beluga meat, unlike other sturgeon breeds, is not fatty and has a very small percentage of fat content. But despite the fact that in the tsarist times there were much more beluga than now, only kings, princes and boyars could still taste its delicious meat. As you can see, even then they understood meat, and considered beluga meat to be something unusual and wonderful.

What secrets and beliefs Beluga is surrounded by

But beluga was valuable not only for meat and caviar in those distant times. For example, almost every fisherman believed in the miraculous properties of beluga stone. With the help of this miracle stone, you can heal people, heal entire villages. It was also believed that such an amulet brings happiness and a good catch to the one who possesses this stone.

It was flat and oval in shape, and had dimensions from egg. It could be obtained in the kidneys big beluga. It could also be very expensive to sell or change to something expensive. But these rumors were never confirmed. But according to such stones, most likely they were high-quality fakes of skilled craftsmen. There are those who still believe in the miraculous properties of this pebble, and that such a stone actually exists.

But the secrets of the beluga do not end there.

Many fishermen were of the same opinion that the beluga is very poisonous fish. This belief has also not been confirmed. But the fishermen were sure that such a fish could get rabies like a dog or cat. It was also believed that the beluga liver was poisonous. But no matter what our ancestors believed in, many are still inclined to believe that all this rumors were spread by the nobility.

So that commoners do not eat meat and do not catch beluga for good. It is possible that thanks to these rumors in the past, the beluga could grow up to 2 tons in weight and 9 meters in length.