Author: (Linnaeus, 1758)
FBname: Beluga
Comments: Pelagic at the sea, following its prey.  Undertakes upriver migration to spawn.  Juveniles occur in shallow riverine habitats during their first summer.  Spawns in the main course of large and deep rivers with strong current and on stone or gravel bottom (Ref. 59043).  Feeds mostly on sea fishes (Black Sea whiting, anchovies, flatfishes, gobies, fry of bottom-living fishes), also crustaceans, mollusks, mysids and amphipods.  Fisheries are based almost entirely on the value of the caviar, but meat also is sold fresh, smoked and frozen; eaten broiled, boiled, fried and baked (Ref. 9988).  Bester, a hybrid of female <i>Huso huso</i> and male sterlet <i>Acipenser ruthenus</i>, has been successfully cultivated for its high quality eggs (Ref. 9988).  The largest sturgeon and largest European freshwater fish.  In Guinness Book of Records as the most expensive fish (Ref. 6472).  Threatened due to overfishing for meat at the sea and for caviar in estuaries.  These threats will soon cause global extinction of the natural populations.  Survival can only depend on stocking (Ref. 59043).