The Iranian Fisheries Organization (IFO) statistics indicate the production of around 6,389 tonnes of caviar and 44,300 tonnes of fish meat from wild Sturgeons during the period 1972-2003. Also, the number of released sturgeon fingerlings produced by hatchery propagation, has reached more than 20 million individuals per year. The economic value of exploitation and the number of released fish showed an 8.5 percent upward trend in the past 32 years. Based on the analysis of scientific data and considering the weight of fingerlings at the time of release, while making tentative assumptions on their fate, our estimates indicate a rate of recruitment for Huso huso with 0.5 % and 0.3 % for all the other species (Acipenser persicus; Acipenser nudiventris; Acipenser gueldenstaedtii and Acipenser stellatus). On the basis of the tentative recruitment estimates and the potential number of fish that have been estimated to return, the potential amount of meat and caviar that can theoretically be gained from different species, was estimated while making a number of assumptions with regard to the releasing of juveniles into the rivers and the expectations for their survival and recapture. Finally, according to the 2003 market prices we computed the economic value, proportionate to the different species and product gradings (caviar was graded into three quality categories as well as in pressed caviar). Also, on the basis of known data over the past ten years the potential amount of caviar, average weight and percentage utility of different species was calculated.The total value of meat and caviar that was utilized in the past 32 years in Iran was around 3,788 million _ (price basis 2003) of which 52.6% originates from sevruga (A.stellatus) catches and 38.1% to "Osetra" contributions (A. persicus, A. nudiventris and A. gueldenstaedtii) while 9.3% of the yield was due to the Beluga (Huso huso) catch (Table 1). The value of caviar and fish that we expected to have been obtained as a result of recruitment supported by stocking is estimated to be approximately 1,171 million _ with 96% of the income generated by caviar production (Table 2). Therefore the economic value of the returnees for Beluga is in the order 31%, for A. persicus 61.1%, for A. stellatus 2.1%, for A. gueldenstaedtii 2.6% and for A. nudiventris 3% of the total value of species landings, while the contribution from released fingerlings is tentatively estimated with 84.6% for A. persicus, 5.2% for Huso huso, 3.9% for A. gueldenstaedtii, 3.4% for A. nudiventris and 2.9% for A.stellatus. Importantly, the ratio of gross value (3,617 million _) of the sturgeon fishery and the value of estimated potential releasing results (1,171 million _) indicates that only about one thirs can at best be attributed to the ranching programme, provided our assumptions are within the correct order of magnitude. In the other words IFO has exploited the resource three times more in terms of value than it's investment over the past 33 years. Besides considering the economic aspects we also mus...
