Caviar ready for consumption is packaged at Sterling Caviar in Elverta, Calif. It is the largest caviar producer in the United States. (Robert Durell / For The Times)
Most of the nation’s caviar comes from Sacramento County.
Jens Hamar, left, a site manager at Sterling Caviar with Enrique Castaño, managing director for the company, with caviar in a packing area. (Robert Durell / For The Times)
Managing Director Enrique Castaño stands by a tank of young sturgeon at Sterling. Most of the fish older than 3 years are females. At age 7 or 8, the caviar is harvested from the sexually mature females between mid-February and June. (Robert Durell / For The Times)
Young sturgeon swim in a tank at Sterling. Almost all the males are culled and butchered for meat that goes to wholesalers. (Robert Durell / For The Times)
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Sturgeon await processing at Sterling. Last year the company produced about 67,500 pounds of sturgeon meat. (Robert Durell / For The Times)
A can of Sterling’s product. Retail prices on the Internet for Northern California caviar range from $62 to $88 for a 1-ounce container. (Robert Durell / For The Times)
