TAÏGAPRESSE IMAGES

Iranian Caviar

By now everyone has heard the story: caviar is hot. Since the end of the Soviet Union sturgeon stocks in the Caspian have been quickly whittled down by unscrupilous poachers controlled by gun-wielding gangsters. The fish itself, one of the oldest creatures on earth, is now in real danger of extinction. Iran is the only Caspian state that is not facing restriction by international agencies because its system for managing sturgeon to maintain stocks is considered relatively effective.

Photographer
Jason Taylor
Country
Iran
Published
March 2003
Images
26
Reference
314-50057
Caviar fisherman's boat early in the morning on the Caspian sea.Anzali. Iran.314_50057_01 Fishermen push their boat out to sea to carry out the first net check at 5.00 am from Anzali catch station on the western shore of the…314_50057_02 An old fisherman travels out to sea to check the nets. Anzali. Iran.314_50057_03 Fishermen changing the old nets for new ones. Each net is about 1 km long and runs perpendicular to the shore. Anzali. Iran.314_50057_04 The traditional system of Sturgeon fishing still takes place in Iran. The nets are gill nets and will only trap sturgeon fish. The…314_50057_05 Fishermen lift the first catch of the day onto the boat. After three hours of fishing, this oscietra sturgeon is the only one they bring…314_50057_07 Fishermen working for a co-operative on the coast of Anzali pull in their huge nets. All sturgeon that are pulled in are the property of…314_50057_08 A fisherman returns early morning with some gill nets. Anzali. Iran.314_50057_09 Men from the catch centre rush to the shore line to collect the catch from one of the three fishing boats that set out at 5.00 am. The…314_50057_10 One of the carriers alerts the processing centre of a boats catch. Anzali. Iran.314_50057_11 As soon as the fish arrives in the sterile processing rooms, they are washed to remove any dirt that may be on the fish. Anzali. Iran.314_50057_12 Every fish that arrives at the catch centre is weighed and measured. The records can be checked at any time by CITES the UN body that…314_50057_13 One of the centres workers prepares to open and remove the raw caviar from a sturgeon. Anzali. Iran.314_50057_14 A worker cuts the rope used to hold the fish in the water and keep them fresh while they continue fishing. Bander-e Torkaman.314_50057_15 Caviar in it’s raw state. As the caviar is removed from the fish, everything it comes in contact with is sterile. Bander-e Torkaman. Iran.314_50057_16 Before being washed the caviar is cleaned of it’s membrane and impurities. Bander-e Torkaman. Iran.314_50057_17 After being washed three times in fresh water the salt is added to the caviar. This will preserve the caviar as well as give it the…314_50057_18 Within 30 minutes of the fish being bought into the catch centre, the caviar has been cleaned, salted and packed into tins ready for…314_50057_19 The finished product. sealed with a wide rubber band and about to go into cold storage before being transported to Tehran.314_50057_20 The door to the huge freezer doors are opened in Anzali. This is where all the sturgeon fish are kept once they have been processed.314_50057_21 Frozen female fish after processing. The meat will be sold in markets around Iran. Anzal. Iran.314_50057_23 One of few. A huge Beluga sturgeon (Huso Huso) weighing about 245 kilos when it was caught. It yielded 34 kilos of precious roe. Anzali.…314_50057_24 The 1.8 kg tins of caviar are re packed into smaller tins for the home market. Tehran. Iran.314_50057_25 There is a limited home market in Iran. One of the few places to buy it is the airport on your way out. Tehran. Iran.314_50057_26 Caviar for sale in one of the few upmarket shops in Tehran.314_50057_27 Anzali caviar headquarters. A security man keeps watch in his large tin of caviar.314_50057_28
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