Caviar/Roe seafood items

Ocean Wise’s recommendations are based on 4 criteria. An Ocean Wise recommended species is:

  1. Abundant and resilient to fishing pressures
  2. Well managed with a comprehensive management plan based on current research
  3. Harvested in a method that ensures limited bycatch on non-target and endangered species
  4. Harvested in ways that limit damage to marine or aquatic habitats and negative interactions with other species.

To learn more please refer to our Ocean Wise Recommendation Policy.

Caviar/Roe
Status Variety Latin name Wild/Farmed Harvest method Region
Ocean Wise Capelin roe, smelt roe, massago Mallotus villosus Wild Mid-water trawl, Purse seine Iceland
Ocean Wise Green sea urchin roe, red sea urchin roe , uni Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis, S. franciscanus Wild Diver caught Canada
Ocean Wise Shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum Farmed Closed system Farm specific
Ocean Wise White sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus Farmed Closed system Farm specific
Under Review Flying fish roe, tobiko Parexocoetus brachypterus; Cheilopogon exsiliens Wild Dipnet, Handline Worldwide
Under Review Lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus Wild Gillnet Canada
Not Recommended Beluga sturgeon Huso huso Wild Various Caspian Sea
Not Recommended Capelin roe, smelt roe, massago Mallotus villosus Wild Mid-water trawl, Purse seine Canada
Not Recommended Paddlefish Polyodon spathula Farmed Closed system US
Not Recommended Paddlefish Polyodon spathula Wild Nets and Lines Mississippi River
Not Recommended Russian sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii Wild Various Caspian Sea
Not Recommended Starry sturgeon Acipenser stellatus Wild Various Caspian Sea
Not Recommended White sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus Farmed Closed system US