Buying Sturgeon or Caviar Could Land You in Criminal Trouble
Kazakhstan cracks down on illegal sturgeon and caviar trade with harsh penalties
Prosecutors in Kazakhstan's Atyrau region have issued a warning: not only poachers but also buyers face legal consequences for trading in endangered species.
The alert targets rare and threatened sturgeon populations, with authorities noting that public demand often drives illegal fishing.
"In 2025 alone, the region recorded 30 environmental offenses. Eleven criminal cases were brought to court, resulting in convictions for 10 individuals," prosecutors reported.
Officials emphasize that criminal liability applies to the purchase, storage, transport, or sale of sturgeon and its derivatives without proper documentation.
In a recent case, a resident of Atyrau was found in possession of over 500 kilograms of sturgeon. The court sentenced him to seven years in prison and ordered him to pay more than 304 million tenge (approximately $660,000) in damages.
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