2012. Review of Significant Trade - Cites

Huso huso
H. huso was reported to be the main sturgeon species used for commercial farming in Iran,
with permits issued for the production of 2700 tons of meat and 80 tons of caviar
(M. Pourkazemi in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011). So far, the maximum amounts marketed
have been 343 tons of meat and 50 kg of caviar (Table 19; M. Pourkazemi in litt. to UNEP-
WCMC, 2011).
Table 19. Farmed meat and caviar production of H. huso from the Islamic Republic of Iran 1999-
2009. (Source: M. Pourkazemi in litt. to UNEP-WCMC, 2011).
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
Year
1999
Number
343 17 15 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Meat (ton)
50 13 0 0 0 3.5 0 0 0 0 0 Caviar (kg)
KAZAKHSTAN
Distribution in range State: H. huso migrates into brackish waters of the Caspian Sea and
spawns naturally in the Ural River in Kazakhstan, where spawning sites have remained
intact due to the absence of dams (Khodorevskaya et al., 1997; Billard and Lecointre, 2001).
The wild distribution of the species was reported to now be restricted to this river
(Chebanov et al., 2011).
Population trends and status: Billard and Lecointre (2001) commented that the Ural’s
population remained abundant. However, 2500 H. huso spawned in the Ural River in 2002,
compared with tens of thousands that would historically spawn each year (Doukakis et al.,
2010). Since 1979, the number and biomass of H. huso entering the Ural exceeded those
entering the Volga (Khodorevskaya et al., 1997).
Catches of H. huso in Kazakhstan in the early 1930s did not exceed 1000 tonnes per year;
after the 1962 moratorium at sea, this species was harvested in the Ural River at a rate of
about 400-600 tonnes per year (Khodorevskaya et al., 2009), peaking at over 750 tonnes in the
mid 1960s (Doukakis et al., 2010). However, the spawning stock in this river decreased since
1987, with the annual average catch not exceeding 50 tonnes (Khodorevskaya et al., 2009)
and decreasing to 27 tonnes in 2007 (Mamina, 1995 and unpublished data of the Research
and Production Center of Fish Industry, cited in Doukakis et al., 2010).
Threats: Possible threats specific to Kazakhstan were reported to be pollution from oil fields,
especially the Tengiz oil field (Sagers, 1994, cited in TRAFFIC International et al., 2000) and
radioactive contamination from a nuclear reactor (Dumont, 1995).
Trade: According to data in the CITES Trade Database, direct exports reported by
Kazakhstan 2000-2010, consisted principally of wild-sourced meat and caviar traded for
commercial purposes (Table 21). The volume of caviar traded during in the first half of the
period (2000-2005) was notably higher than levels reported 2006-2010. Kazakhstan has not
yet submitted an annual report to CITES for 2008, 2009 or 2010. According to data in the
Caviar Database, Kazakhstan reported the direct export of a total of 7393.7 kg of wildsourced
H. huso caviar for commercial purposes between 2004 and 2011 (Table 22).
Between 2000 and 2010, Kazakhstan published export quotas for wild-sourced caviar and
meat (Tables 23 & 24). According to data in the CITES Trade Database, the quota was
apparently exceeded in 2001, 2005, 2006 (no quota) and 2009 (zero quota). Permits received
for entry into the Caviar Database corroborate the 2005 quota excess. In 2006, 199 kg of
caviar was reportedly imported despite the recommendation to Parties not to accept
imports; however, this trade may have taken place prior to the recommendation being
issued (April 2006). In 2009, the zero export quota was apparently exceeded by 436.5 kg
according to the importer, although this trade may have occurred in the 2008 quota year (no
81