Mislabeled and counterfeit sturgeon caviar from Bulgaria and Romania.

A market survey was performed on caviar from Romania and Bulgaria, two of the last range states of critically endangered sturgeons threatened by poaching and illegal trade. Twenty-seven samples were collected between April 2011 and February 2012, including two samples of Bulgarian farm caviar bought in an Austrian fish shop. Mitochondrial sequences of the cytochrome b gene and microsatellites were used for species identification. Ten samples were in agreement with the species code on their CITES labels, but four samples were mislabeled, six samples were counterfeit and four samples were offered as 'wild origin,' ignoring the fishing bans in place. At least one sample was upgraded from a lower priced species to a more expensive species. These results demonstrate the weakness of sturgeon protection in these Member States of the European Union and key range states. Therefore, we recommend intensifying conservation and enforcement efforts, including also DNA testing of caviar in containers with apparently correct CITES labels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]