siberian sturgeon
Acipenser baerii
Sturgeon native to Siberia, with barbels in front of the mouth and rows of bony scutes. It is exotic in Uruguay, is not a target of sport fishing, and its roe becomes caviar.
Also called: esturjão-siberiano, esturjão, esturión siberiano, esturión de Siberia, Siberian sturgeon
- maximum
- 200 cm
- record/max.
- 210.0 kg
- depth
- 1–8 m
who is the siberian sturgeon
The Siberian sturgeon is a fish of the sturgeon family (Acipenseridae), with an elongated body and rows of bony scutes. It reaches 2 meters and 210 kg, and the maximum recorded age is 63 years. It is native to rivers of Siberia and Lake Baikal, and was introduced to Uruguay, where it is exotic. It lives in rivers with moderate to strong current, usually between 1 and 8 meters deep. Adults stay almost entirely in freshwater, but some enter estuaries. Spawning takes place in the main river channel, over rock and gravel, and maturity comes late, between 9 and 34 years. It is intensively caught commercially and is farmed in captivity, more than being a rod-caught target.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the siberian sturgeon.
fun facts
- There are records of specimens aged 63 years.
- In recirculating-water farming systems, maturity can be reached at 5 years.
identification
Elongated body, with five rows of bony scutes and a long snout, with four barbels in front of the mouth. The back ranges from light gray to dark brown, and the belly from white to light yellow. The mouth sits under the head and the lower lip is clearly split. Small star-shaped scutes appear between the main rows. The armor of scutes and the barbels set the sturgeon apart from any other river fish.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it occurs only in Uruguay, where it was introduced and is exotic. It is native to rivers of Siberia and Lake Baikal, in Asia.
Habitat: Rivers with moderate to strong current, in deep and shallow stretches, usually between 1 and 8 meters deep.
rules for the siberian sturgeon
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Heavy fish with rough skin: hold it with both hands, support the body, and be careful with the bony scutes, which can cut. Release quickly, without leaving it out of the water for long.
in the kitchen
The roe of mature females becomes caviar and can make up more than 10% of body weight.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00257, b = 3.28; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Acipenser baerii (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Acipenser baeriiNames by country and language.