The largest beluga ever caught. The largest beluga in the world - a few facts

Beluga is the largest fish that can be found in the waters of our planet. According to official data, its length can reach 4.5 meters and weigh up to 1,500 kilograms. Although, there is evidence that belugas were caught twice as large. In any case, such data indicate that the beluga is the largest representative of the sturgeon family.

Nowadays, such dimensions are something from the realm of fantasy. As a rule, you come across individuals weighing no more than 300 kilograms, which indicates certain problems associated with the life cycle of this giant of rivers and seas.

Habitats

No more than 100 years ago, this giant was found in the basins of the Caspian, Black, Azov and Adriatic seas. Nowadays, it can only be found in the Black Sea basin, or rather in the Danube River, as well as in the Caspian Sea basin, exclusively in the Urals. In the Azov Sea basin, or more precisely in the Volga River, one of the subspecies of beluga is found, the number of which is maintained by artificial means.

Since many countries are engaged in artificial fish breeding, the beluga population has not yet decreased in the reservoirs of Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Serbia and Turkey. And this is due to the fact that measures to restore the numbers of this fish occupy a special place in solving such problems. Only at the state level is it possible to solve such complex problems.

The appearance of the beluga reminds of its similarity with sturgeon species of fish. Distinctive features include:

• Quite a big mouth.
• Not a large, blunt nose.
• The first spike, located on the back, is small in size.
• Between the gills there is a membrane that connects them.

Beluga is distinguished by a wide, heavy, rounded body, which is painted in an ash-gray hue. The belly is off-white in color, with sometimes a yellowish tint. On the massive body there is a large head. The whiskers located at the bottom of the snout resemble leaf-shaped appendages as they are joined together.

Beluga sometimes interbreeds with its relatives, such as sterlet, thorn, and Russian sturgeon. The result is hybrids that have some differences in appearance related to the structure of the body, gills or coloring. Despite this, hybrids are no different in their behavior from their relatives.

Beluga is a fish that is distinguished by its peculiar behavior among representatives of its species. There are two forms that differ in the period of spawning migrations and the duration of stay in fresh water. At sea, the beluga prefers to lead a solitary lifestyle, and while in the river, it gathers in numerous flocks. This is due to the fact that it comes to rivers to spawn, and in the sea it only feeds and develops.

Beluga is a predatory fish and it begins to lead this lifestyle quite early. The diet includes fish such as herring, carp, pike perch and gobies. At the same time, the beluga is not averse to swallowing its relative if it is small in size and hesitated somewhere.

In addition to fish, it is capable of swallowing shellfish, waterfowl and even baby seals if it reaches the appropriate size. Experts have come to the conclusion that the migrations of the beluga are associated with the migrations of its food supply.

One of the subspecies spawns earlier than the other. Its spawning period coincides with the maximum spring water level in the rivers. At the same time, the water temperature can reach +8-+17 degrees. Another subspecies comes from the seas to spawn around August. After this, individuals overwinter in deep holes and begin to spawn in the spring. Beluga begins to spawn at the age of 15-17 years, after reaching a weight of about 50 kg.

Beluga lays eggs at a depth of at least 10 meters. At the same time, she chooses areas with a hard rocky bottom and a fast current, which provides the spawning site with oxygen.

Fish that live in the seas enter rivers to spawn, and are therefore called migratory. While in fresh water, it continues to actively feed. After spawning, as soon as the eggs hatch into fry, they return to the sea with them. Beluga comes to spawn once every 2-3 years. At the same time, there is a species that lives in rivers permanently and does not migrate over long distances.

Commercial fishing

Until recently, beluga was of industrial interest and was caught at a huge rate. Because of this, this breed of fish was on the verge of extinction.

Since this fish may disappear altogether, its catch is significantly limited in all countries of the world. In some countries it is prohibited to catch it at all. Beluga is listed in the Red Book as a species that is on the verge of extinction. In some countries it is permissible to catch it under a special license and only for the purposes of scientific research. This fish is caught with fixed or floating nets.

Black beluga caviar is the most expensive food product these days. Its cost can reach several thousand euros per kilogram. Caviar that is found in markets is either counterfeit or illegally obtained products.

1. Beluga can live more than 100 years, which is why it is considered one of the longest-living fish in the world.
2. Parents do not care about their offspring. Moreover, they do not mind feasting on their relatives.
3. When a beluga goes to spawn, it jumps high out of the water. This is still an unsolved mystery.
4. The beluga, like the shark, has no bones, and its skeleton consists of cartilage, which becomes harder and stronger over the years.
5. A lot of eggs can be found in the female. Thus, an individual weighing about 1200 kg can contain up to 150 kg of caviar.
6. In the Amur River basin there is a similar species - kaluga, which can reach a length of about 5 meters and weigh up to 1000 kg. Attempts by scientists to cross kaluga and beluga ended in nothing.

According to scientists, the beluga population has declined by 90% in just the last 50 years. Therefore, based on such research results, we can consider that this is not a reassuring result at all. Back in the middle of the last century, about 25 thousand individuals came to the Volga to spawn, and already at the beginning of this century this number decreased to 3 thousand.

Moreover, all these processes occur against the backdrop of enormous efforts that humanity is making in order to maintain the population of the species at least at the same level. The main reasons for the reduction in numbers are the following:

1. Construction of hydroelectric power stations. The presence of huge dams does not allow fish to rise to their natural spawning grounds. Such structures practically cut off the routes of beluga migration to the rivers of Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia.
2. Actions of poachers. The fairly high prices for the meat of this fish and its caviar are of interest to people who are accustomed to making money illegally. Since they catch the largest individuals that are capable of producing numerous offspring, the damage is quite significant. As a result of such actions, the Adriatic population completely disappeared.
3. Ecological violation. Since the beluga can live for a long time, during this time harmful substances accumulate in its body, which enter the water as a result of human economic activity, such as pesticides. This type of chemical affects the reproductive functions of fish.

We can only hope that people will still be able to preserve for their descendants this species of fish, which is distinguished by its enormous size.

Sturgeon and beluga in particular are considered very valuable commercial fish. However, due to a sharp decline in natural populations in the second half of the 20th century, beluga fish is currently listed in the Red Book as a rare species. However, it can be grown in artificial conditions, although with certain difficulties. Beluga caviar is the most expensive caviar in the world.

Beluga is an anadromous fish, that is, it lives in the seas, but rises to rivers to spawn. This species lives in the Caspian, Azov and Black Seas.

The most numerous is the Caspian population of beluga; it can be found everywhere in this sea. The main spawning site of the Caspian beluga is the Volga. Also, a small number of these fish go to spawn in the Ural, Kura and Terek rivers. A very insignificant number spawns in small rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea on the territory of Azerbaijan and Iran. But in general, it can be found in any river that is close enough to those places in the Caspian Sea where beluga fish are found.

In the past, spawning beluga entered rivers quite far - hundreds and even thousands of kilometers. For example, along the Volga it rose to Tver and even to the upper reaches of the Kama. However, due to the construction of numerous hydroelectric power stations on the rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea, modern belugas have to confine themselves only to the lower reaches.

Previously, the Azov beluga population was quite large, but today it is on the verge of extinction. From the Sea of ​​Azov, fish rises to the Don and in very small quantities to the Kuban River. As in the case of the Caspian beluga, natural spawning grounds high upstream were cut off by the construction of a hydroelectric power station.

Finally, in the Black Sea, where the beluga fish lives, its population is also very small and concentrated mainly in the northwest of the sea, although cases of its appearance have been recorded off the coast of southern Crimea, the Caucasus and northern Turkey. For spawning, the local beluga swims in the three largest rivers of the region - the Danube, Dnieper and Dniester. Some individuals spawn in the Southern Bug. Before the construction of a hydroelectric power station on the Dnieper, beluga was caught in the Kyiv area and even in Belarus. The situation is similar with the Dniester. But along the Danube it can still rise quite far - right up to the Serbian-Romanian border, where one of the two Danube hydroelectric power stations is located.

Until the 70s. In the last century, beluga was sometimes caught in the Adriatic Sea, where it went to spawn in the Po River. However, in the last few decades, not a single case of beluga being caught in this region has been recorded, which is why the Adriatic beluga is considered extinct.

Beluga - sturgeon fish; considered the largest of all freshwater fish. In historical chronicles there are references of questionable authenticity to the catching of individuals up to 9 meters long and weighing up to 2 tons. However, those sources that do not raise doubts provide no less impressive figures.

For example, a book on the state of Russian fisheries from 1861 mentions a beluga weighing 90 poods (one and a half tons), caught near Astrakhan in 1827. A reference book on freshwater fish in the USSR, published in 1948, mentions a female beluga weighing 75 pounds (more than 1,200 kg), which was caught in the Caspian Sea near the mouth of the Volga in 1922. Finally, everyone can personally see a stuffed one-color beluga displayed in the National Museum of the Republic of Tatarstan in the city of Kazan.

The latest case of catching such massive individuals was recorded in 1989, when a beluga weighing 966 kg was caught in the Volga delta. Her stuffed animal can also be seen in one of the museums, but in Astrakhan.

According to experts, the largest beluga fish should be tens of years old. It is possible that some individuals could be 100 years or more old. However, these are all exceptional cases. The average weight of fish going to spawn in rivers is 90-120 kg for females and 60-90 kg for males. However, the beluga reaches even this size only at the age of 25-30 years. And immature young animals usually weigh no more than 20-30 kg.

If you leave the incredible size of this fish alone, then in general it has a typical sturgeon appearance. She has a massive, elongated, cylindrical body and a small, pointed nose. The beluga has a blunt, short snout and a large, crescent-shaped mouth. The mouth is bordered by a thick “lip”. The snout has wide, massive antennae.

The head and body are dotted with symmetrical rows of bony scutes (the so-called bugs): 12-13 on the back, 40-45 on the sides and 10-12 on the belly. The dominant color in the beluga is gray, which covers the back, sides and top of the head. The underside of the beluga is white.

The first thing mentioned in any description of beluga fish is its method of spawning. The main place of life of this fish is the sea, but it goes to large rivers to spawn, as was already mentioned earlier.

It is noteworthy that the beluga has so-called spring and winter forms (races). In particular, fish comes to the Volga in two waves: in the first half of autumn - winter, in the first half of spring - spring. However, this river is still dominated by the winter beluga, which spends the winter in river holes and then immediately begins spawning in April-May. In the Ural River, on the contrary, most belugas belong to the spring race; they spawn immediately after entering the river, and then swim back to the sea.

Like any sturgeon, beluga is a predatory fish. The young feed on all kinds of invertebrates and mollusks, catching them near the bottom in river mouths. After entering the open sea, the grown young animals quickly switch to feeding on fish. In the Caspian Sea, the basis of the beluga's diet is carp, roach, sprat, etc. In addition, the beluga does not hesitate to eat its own young and other representatives of the sturgeon family. The Black Sea beluga feeds mainly on anchovy and gobies.

Beluga reaches sexual maturity late: males at 12-14 years, females at 16-18 years. Due to such a long maturation under conditions of intensive industrial fishing, this species was on the verge of extinction.

As already mentioned, beluga spawning occurs in the second half of spring, although a significant part of the fish go to rivers in the fall. Beluga spawns when the spring flood reaches its peak and the river water temperature is 6-7°C. Eggs rush on rapids in deep places (at least 4 meters, usually 10-12 m) with a rocky bottom. One female lays at least 200 thousand eggs, but usually they count in the millions (up to 8 million). The eggs are quite large, about 4 mm in diameter.

Having finished spawning, beluga fish in the Volga and other rivers quickly go to sea. Young larvae also do not stay in the river.

Since ancient times it has been considered a commercial fish of high value. Active fishing has been going on since at least the 6th century BC. In the 20th century, with the development of industrial fishing methods, beluga fishing reached unprecedented proportions. For example, in the Volga alone in the 70s, 1.2-1.5 thousand tons of this fish were caught annually.

Unjustifiably intensive fishing of red beluga fish, as well as the construction of hydroelectric power stations everywhere in the rivers where it spawns, led to a sharp reduction in its numbers in the second half of the last century. Already in the early 90s, the catch dropped to 200-300 tons per year, and at the end of the decade - below 100 tons. In such conditions, the Russian authorities banned the industrial fishing of beluga sturgeon on their territory in 2000, and a decade later other countries of the Caspian region joined the Russian Federation. The situation is even worse in the Black and Azov Seas, where the beluga population has decreased to minuscule sizes.

The virtual impossibility of ensuring supplies to the consumer market of meat and, no less important, beluga caviar has created conditions for the development of fish farms specializing in this type of fish. Today they are the only legal suppliers of this type of product to store shelves. However, poaching, unfortunately, also occupies a significant share of this market.

In fish hatcheries, beluga is bred not only and not so much in its natural form, but rather hybridizes with other sturgeon - sterlet, stellate sturgeon and sturgeon. Bester, a fish resulting from crossing beluga and sterlet, has become especially widespread. It is not only grown in pond farms, but is even introduced into the Sea of ​​Azov and freshwater reservoirs.

Beluga meat and especially its caviar are considered a true delicacy, from which you can prepare a real culinary masterpiece. This fish is subjected to all types of heat treatment: boiled, fried, baked, steamed and grilled. Beluga is also smoked, cut and canned. Beluga meat can be used to prepare a variety of types of dishes, including kebabs and salads.

With all this, beluga as a fish is very good for health. It has low calorie content and high content of easily digestible protein. Beluga contains many essential amino acids, which are urgently needed by our body, but are not synthesized in it, and can only be obtained from food. The meat of this fish contains a lot of calcium and phosphorus, which help restore and strengthen bones, as well as improve the condition of nails and hair. The potassium present in beluga improves the functioning of the heart muscle, and iron has a beneficial effect on the composition of the blood.

Beluga meat is rich in vitamin A, which affects visual acuity and skin condition. It also contains other important vitamins: B (important for muscles and nerve tissue), D (prevents the development of rickets and osteoporosis).

Separately, it is worth mentioning beluga caviar. Females lay large black eggs, which are incredibly highly prized by gourmets. Since industrial fishing of beluga is prohibited today, and in aquaculture it takes about 15 years to grow the fish to get caviar from it, the cost of this product reaches exorbitant prices. In Russia, 100 grams of beluga caviar costs about 10-20 thousand rubles, a kilogram - up to 150 thousand rubles. In Europe and other markets, the cost of a kilogram of this caviar ranges from 7-10 thousand dollars. Obviously, it is impossible to purchase such caviar in a regular store.

Beluga, as well as bester (a sturgeon fish hybrid of beluga and sterlet) can feed on artificial feed, and therefore are suitable for commercial fish farming. However, this technology is quite expensive, especially considering that to obtain caviar it is necessary to grow fish for at least 15 years.

Until the larvae reach a weight of 3 grams, they are grown in special trays. Nutrition is provided with both artificial and natural feed. After the larvae reach the specified weight, they are sent for rearing to ponds with a planting density of about 20 thousand specimens per hectare.

Further, the technology for breeding beluga fish at home provides for the transfer of fingerlings to feeding on minced fish of low-value breeds with various additives. At the same time, the young animals will provide themselves with a significant portion of their nutrition on their own from pond invertebrates. The predator instinct of beluga fingerlings appears at the end of summer, which implies an increase in the proportion of minced meat in its diet.

In beluga fingerlings, weight gain occurs most rapidly in conditions when the temperature and composition of the water are close to optimal values, therefore one of the most important tasks of the fish farmer is maintaining these optimal conditions in the ponds.

In the first year, the average feed conversion of beluga is 2.8 units. At the end of the first season, the fish increases its weight from 3 to 150 g. With an average survival rate of fingerlings of 50%, their fish productivity reaches 20 c/ha.

Fingerlings are planted in wintering ponds (optimal reservoirs ranging from a quarter to half a hectare with a depth of 2-3 m, devoid of bottom silt and vegetation) in the amount of 120 thousand per hectare. Wintering begins in October - November and lasts until March. In winter, beluga is given food in the amount of 2% of the total weight of the fish, and when surface ice forms, feeding is stopped altogether. It is natural for beluga underyearlings to lose 30-40% of their mass during this time. However, the size of the beluga fish does not change.

In the first ten days of April, the fish are sent back to the feeding ponds, where intensive feeding is immediately applied. Two-year-olds are given low-value fresh frozen fish. Young animals grow most actively in the second half of summer, and feed conversion increases during this period to 6 kg of feed per 1 kg of weight gain.

When two-year-olds reach a weight of 0.7 kg (by the end of the second season, about half of them are), they are sent for sale to the food chain. The remaining fish are left for another year and grown to a weight of 1.7-2 kg. In conditions of high survival rate of two-year-old and three-year-old fish (up to 95%), with strict adherence to cultivation technology, fish productivity will be 50-75 c/ha.

The top of the hierarchical ladder of the noble sturgeon family is rightfully occupied by a fish that surpasses its relatives not only with its gigantic size, but also with its high life expectancy. The largest beluga (not to be confused with the beluga whale) can safely be considered one of the longest-livers of the animal world, since being a hundred years old is not uncommon for it.

Description of the species

The Triassic period of the planet’s development is considered to be the beginning of the evolution of sturgeon fish species, which dates back about 210 - 240 million years. The heyday of the beluga and its relatives occurred in the era of dinosaurs, which reigned on Earth about one hundred to two hundred million years ago. Nevertheless, the appearance of the giant fish has undergone virtually no changes.

What a beluga looks like: its torpedo-shaped body is securely enclosed in a shell of bone plates, and on the sides the bone protrusions form peculiar paths. The face of this fish is unusual; its appearance differs even from its closest relatives. The fused gill membranes form a loose fold below the gill gap. The huge crescent-shaped mouth is bordered by small flattened mustaches with leaf-shaped appendages, providing the hostess with an excellently developed sense of smell. Developed coordination helps the fish navigate in space, successfully complementing its rather poor vision.

The color of an adult beluga is gray-brown on the back and light, almost white, on the belly.

Large and sometimes simply huge sizes, tasty and nutritious meat and valuable caviar have provided the beluga and its numerous relatives (sturgeon, sterlet, stellate sturgeon, kaluga) with the status of commercial fish. This brought the entire family into danger of extinction. Human activity leads to pollution and sometimes to the complete destruction of habitual habitats; hydraulic structures change or block routes to spawning grounds. The combination of these factors puts the beluga on the brink of extinction.

Habitat and food supply

The question of what beluga prefers to eat and where it lives is far from idle, since it allows us to find out the habits of this grandiose fish. The largest beluga is found in the waters of the Black, Mediterranean, Adriatic, Azov and Caspian seas. During the spawning period, it can be found in almost all large rivers belonging to sea basins. First of all, these are the Volga, Don, Dnieper, Kama, Terek. Ichthyologists have established one interesting feature characteristic of large female belugas. Not having time to spawn for some reason, they fall asleep, remaining to winter in the river.

An adult beluga is an absolute predator. The range of her main gastronomic preferences is as follows:

• Fish that forms the basic part of the beluga's diet.
• Aquatic worms and insects, as a rule, serve as food for small individuals.
• Molluscs and arthropods.
• Caspian seal pups. This unexpected hunting object is used as food by representatives of the species that live exclusively in the Caspian Sea basin.

During periods of starvation or acute hunger, for example, after spawning, belugas are able to swallow objects that do not even remotely resemble their usual food. It seems absolutely logical for these spawned giants to return to the sea, because only there can they find a sufficient amount of food. Specimens that constantly live in fresh river water are significantly smaller in size than their marine counterparts.

Reproduction of the species

Beluga spawning occurs exclusively in fresh water, for which mature individuals rise high upstream. The entry of spawners into rivers differs in seasons, which makes it possible to divide the species into two races: spring and autumn. The first one begins to move into fresh water at the end of January and remains there until the very moment of spawning, which usually begins in June. The autumn race ascends the river from August to December, often remaining to winter in deep river pools.

Puberty in this species of sturgeon occurs quite late, and there are significant differences in timing. Thus, males become ready to reproduce at about twenty years of age, and the maturation of females ends only at 23-25.

Features of spawning

The beluga spawns only a few times during its long life, but the fertility of this giant fish is simply amazing. This may be why this unique species still inhabits the water bodies of our planet.

There is an opinion that the number of eggs in a clutch can reach one million. But based on the facts, the picture looks like this:

• The Volga beluga, which is quite large in size by modern standards (about 2.5 meters), lays approximately 940,000 eggs.
• Individuals of similar size but found in Kura are limited to 685,000.

The mass of spawned eggs also looks impressive. The spawning clutch can weigh three to four hundred kilograms.

Ichthyologists noticed another interesting point in the physiology of the beluga. The lack of a place suitable in the opinion of the mother for babies leads to the fact that the female refuses to spawn, and the eggs that are ready for fertilization are gradually absorbed.

The spawning of this sturgeon species is a test of the ecological well-being of the reservoir, since it occurs only in exceptionally clean water. The survival rate of eggs is very low (no more than 10%), which does not contribute to the rapid replenishment of the population of this valuable fish. The incubation period is just over a week at a temperature of 12−14 C. The hatched fry initially stay at the seaside or in river deltas.

Record-breaking belugas

The maximum weight of the beluga is another question that has not been fully clarified by ichthyologists. There are records of specimens weighing up to two tons. However, unfortunately, there is no documentary evidence of these facts. . So, the record holders:

The analysis shows that the overwhelming majority of evidence of the catch of giant beluga specimens occurs at the beginning of the last - the end of the century before last. Significant changes in the ecological situation that characterize the present time have led to the fact that fish of this species rarely reach gigantic sizes. The weight of the largest specimens caught over the past few years does not exceed a quarter of a ton.

Fishing prospects

The inclusion of this species of sturgeon in the Red Book predetermined the introduction of a ban on its industrial fishing. Therefore, the only way to catch a trophy specimen is sport fishing, which involves returning the fish to its habitat.

The real danger, which poses a serious threat to the existence of not only the beluga, but also the entire sturgeon family, is poaching. Lovers of easy money do not take into account prohibitions, seasonality, or the need to preserve the population.

A lot of myths and legends are associated with this strange fish.- for example, the belief about the miraculous properties of the “beluga stone”, extracted from its kidneys and resembling a chicken egg in appearance. It is used as a talisman during a storm; it attracts fish to places frequented by fishermen. In the old days, the owner of such an amulet could demand any product for it, even the most expensive.

Attention, TODAY only!

Beluga is a fish belonging to the sturgeon family, the order Sturgeon. It is a valuable commercial species; it has been caught in large quantities for a long time, which is why its numbers have greatly decreased; is now an endangered species.

This species is the largest freshwater sturgeon fish. A catch of individuals reaching a length of up to 4.2 m has been recorded. The maximum weight is 1.5 tons. Fishermen claim that when the largest beluga was caught, it reached 9 m in length and weighed more than 2 tons, but these facts are not confirmed by anything. The average size of the fish is smaller: most often you come across beluga, whose weight does not exceed 300 kg.

The appearance of this underwater inhabitant is similar to the appearance of other sturgeon representatives: the body is elongated, wide, rounded. The beluga's body narrows towards the tail. The scales have a gray-ash tint. The belly is light, dirty white, with a possible yellowish tint.

Beluga and beluga whales should not be confused: the latter is a type of toothed whale. Previously, both words denoted a mammal; Now “beluga” means fish, “beluga” means whale.

Distinctive features

A distinctive feature of its appearance is its large head, in the lower part of which there are antennae connected together. The nose is small and pointed. A large mouth with no teeth inside. There are spines on the back, the first of which is small. Between the gills there is a membrane connecting them.

Behavior and lifestyle

This species has almost no natural enemies. The eggs, however, can be eaten by other predatory species. Some underwater predators also destroy larvae and fry. The young of this sturgeon species can also be eaten by the grown fry of this large predatory fish.

There are a large number of underwater inhabitants that representatives of the largest freshwater species of sturgeon feed on - and the beluga feeds on smaller ones. These are small species of fish, smaller relatives, mollusks, crustaceans, and even waterfowl. Cases have been recorded in which the remains of seal pups were found in the stomachs of captured individuals. The fry eat insect larvae and zooplankton.

Habitat

Previously, the range was wider. This species of sturgeon could be found in the Adriatic Sea. Over the past 30 years, not a single individual has been found in this salty reservoir, so the population is considered destroyed.

Now this species can be found in the Azov, Black and Caspian seas. Previously, these seas were also inhabited by a large number of individuals; now the population from the Black Sea is on the verge of extinction, because too few in number.

During the breeding season, the fish moves to fresh rivers, from where it then returns to the seas to live in salt water for 1-2 years.

Lifespan

How long this representative of the underwater fauna lives depends on external conditions. If the habitat is favorable, life expectancy can be up to 100 years.

Reproduction

Belugas go into rivers to spawn. Migration patterns depend on the species—what the fish looks like and where it lives. The Azov beluga moves to the Don. Fewer individuals flock to Kuban. The Black Sea swims into the Danube, Dnieper, and Dniester. Rare specimens rise along the Southern Bug. The Caspian beluga swims to the Volga to breed; a smaller number of representatives of the species rise upstream of the Urals, Terek, and Kura. It often rises to spawn in August, after which it remains in fresh water for a year, breeding only in May.

Reaches sexual maturity late. Males become capable of reproduction from 13-18 years, females - from 16-27. The Azov variety ripens faster than others.

Fecundity depends on the size of the individual. One female is capable of laying from 500,000 to 1,000,000 eggs at a time. The largest representatives of the species can lay up to 5,000,000 eggs. There is an interesting fact about beluga fertility: populations living in different areas lay different numbers of eggs. It is believed that Volga females spawn approximately 50% more at a time than those breeding in the Kura.

After spawning, adult fish go to sea, where they live until the next breeding. Beluga spawning occurs once every 2-4 years; During their life they reproduce up to 8-9 times.

The caviar is sticky, bottom, pearl-gray in color. Large in diameter, can reach 5 mm. It often becomes prey for other river predators; the survival rate is low. Beluga cubs quickly leave their birthplace and slide downstream into the sea. Some individuals can remain in fresh water for up to 5-6 years.

There have been recorded cases of beluga crossing with sterlet, sturgeon, thorn, and stellate sturgeon under natural conditions.

The benefits of beluga meat

This fish has tougher meat than other members of the sturgeon family. Its fat content is also less. For this reason, the product can be used in the diet. The protein it contains is easily absorbed by the human body. It contains vitamins A, D, PP, E, C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, molybdenum, potassium, fluorine, sodium. The pulp also contains Omega-3 fatty acids and amino acids, including essential ones. Milk is also used for food: it can be eaten fresh or in the form of a pate.

Beluga delicate black caviar is also useful. This expensive product contains a large number of useful substances. Considered a delicacy.

You should not eat beluga meat if you have inflammatory diseases, an allergic reaction, kidney disease, diabetes, gastritis, or edema. In these cases, it can harm the body.

Artificial breeding of beluga

Due to excessive population decline, the species' status has changed to endangered. Beluga has long been listed in the Red Book for protection from poachers. Because of this, fishing has been severely limited; in some countries it is prohibited to catch these underwater inhabitants. To restore the species' numbers, other methods are also used: people breed beluga in artificially created conditions.

With the help of artificial insemination, a hybrid capable of producing offspring was bred on the Don and Volga. To obtain it, belugas were crossed with sterlet. The resulting individuals were relocated to the Sea of ​​Azov. In addition, they populated several reservoirs.

Artificial breeding of the breed is also carried out in some aquaculture farms.

Of those currently existing. Mentions of it are found in many historical documents. In Rus', this fish, brought to the capital city from the distant Caspian Sea, was served at the table of princes and kings. There are many descriptions of fantastic specimens reaching simply incredible sizes. It is not surprising that many people have a question about which of these testimonies is true and which is absolute fiction.

The largest beluga, the existence of which is confirmed by sufficient evidence, is striking in size. There are many contenders for this title, but, unfortunately, all the facts of the existence of giant belugas were recorded a long time ago. Nowadays, large specimens are almost never found.

King fish

Beluga is a long-lived fish. She can live a hundred years. During this time, the largest beluga can grow to a gigantic size of several meters. This species is considered one of the largest marine fish on the planet.

This fish spawns several times in its life. Experts say that the clutches of beluga eggs are also gigantic - weighing up to half a ton.

To spawn, females go to rivers flowing into the sea, sometimes rising upstream for several kilometers. It is noteworthy that if there is no place suitable for babies, it will not exist, and the caviar inside will gradually dissolve.

Where does the beluga live?

The largest beluga is found in the Caspian, Black, Adriatic, Mediterranean and Azov seas.

During spawning, this fish can be found in the Volga, Terek, Don, Kama, Dnieper and many other rivers that flow into the seas. Large females that have not had time to spawn sometimes even remain in rivers for the winter, hibernating.

How to catch the biggest beluga?

Today, industrial fishing of this fish is prohibited. An equally strict veto was imposed on the collection of beluga caviar. But the law does not prohibit sport fishing. Special gear is used for it, which minimally injures the fish.

Fishing is one way to establish and document facts. The largest beluga in the world, caught by an enthusiast in a competition, will certainly be measured, weighed, photographed, and then released. If this did not happen regularly, we would know much less about the life of these amazing fish.

To catch the storm of the seas and rivers, you need to swim 3 kilometers from the sea into the river. Beluga is a voracious predator; fishermen have even found ducks and white whales in its stomach more than once. When choosing bait, you should give preference to raw meat and fish. Professionals know: although the beluga is not aggressive, like, for example, a catfish, it is quite capable of seriously misbehaving. In an attempt to get away from the fisherman, she can even capsize the boat.

The largest representatives: confirmed facts

The largest beluga caught in Russia in 1922 still holds the title. She weighed 1224 kg and was caught in the Caspian Sea. was filled with caviar. The photo of the largest beluga is simply amazing. The king fish is comparable in size to ocean monsters: sharks, killer whales, narwhals.

Several other cases of giant-sized beluga sturgeons have been caught. In Kazan there is even one that weighed a ton during its lifetime. The 4.17 m long carcass was donated to the city by Nicholas II himself, and today a stuffed animal made from it is exhibited in the museum. Anyone can admire the huge fish.

There is an exhibit a little more modest than the Kazan one in one of the museums in Astrakhan - the beluga caught in the Volga reached 966 kg. Another curious specimen during life had a length of almost 6 meters and a weight of up to a ton. His story is amazing. This beluga was caught by poachers, the most valuable caviar was gutted, and the carcass was thrown away. But of course, they simply could not help but know what treasure fell into their hands! Fearing arrest for illegal activities, the poachers simply called the museum and told them where they dumped the carcass. It was damaged by careless cutting, but taxidermists managed to make a stuffed animal out of it.

The language barrier

Sometimes confusion arises for completely unusual reasons. For example, for a very long time the word “beluga” in Russian was also applied to the whale, today known as beluga. Whales, of course, are larger than sturgeon, but this did not prevent fantastic rumors from arising. Eyewitness accounts of the catch of two-ton belugas most likely refer specifically to marine animals. By the way, beluga whales can sing. It was their singing that formed the basis of the phraseological unit “Roar like a beluga.” Of course, they don’t know how to roar.

And in English, many sturgeon fish, including beluga, are often designated by one word - sturgeon. This also often brings confusion to the question of the largest beluga. Some of the declared contenders for the championship belong to other species of the Sturgeon family.

Human factor

The largest beluga caught in our time reaches only 2-3 quintals. Uncontrolled fishing and caviar collection, deteriorating environmental conditions, irrational use of resources - all this has negatively affected the population. The number of beluga has decreased, the fish have become smaller, and spawning has become less frequent. The habitat has also shrunk. To spawn, the beluga goes very close to the rivers, trying to stay close to the sea.

Prospects

The largest beluga is a rarity today. Fortunately, humanity is trying to correct the mistakes of the past. Beluga is listed in the Red Book, the state is fighting poaching. Today beluga is artificially bred in many countries. Several hybrids have been bred in Russia that have shown excellent viability and industrial value. This helps maintain the number of beluga sturgeon in the wild. The positive dynamics give hope that the beautiful king fish will not sink into oblivion in the coming years, but will someday again amaze people with its enormous size.