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It's kind of hard to believe but only a few years ago there was a commercial cavier fishery in Okla.Spoonbill were used because of the lack of sturgeon in other areas.

One good roe laden female is worth BIG bucks and a number of men went to prison for taking spoonbill for the eggs from other states and without proper permits,etc.

There is just too much money to be made with sturgeon or spoonbill cavier for some folk to stay legal.

John,the poacher theory could easily hold water.Gill nets or snag lines placed under the surface would work for the fish and sturgeon roe is worth even more than spoonbill.

To keep line thieves from running my legal setlines,I often set them under the surface and free dive my lines so I don't have to drag them up and handle the weight.A poacher can do the same and keep things hidden but if he sees a warden coming just dump the fish in the water and a warden would have to have an idea to drag the right area for his lines.

I stay legal whatever I'm harvesting because I like to sleep well and when a warden pulls up at my house,I know it's for a friendly visit.:)

Unless it is on the verge of spoiling, Sturgeon Roe really has no odor.

Fortunately, my brother always shared with me and gave me a pound or two (he could have sold it for $50-60 per ounce) of the stuff after it had been processed (a complicated process).

I've introduced this delicacy to many people who swore they would never eat "fish eggs". After a bite followed by a shot of vodka straight from the freezer, they couldn't get enough of the stuff!

The cavier brought to mind a Russian scheme that was uncovered a few years ago.

Don't remember the specifics. In brief:

A group of Russians were purchasing Paddlefish eggs from Montana at ridiculously low prices, repacking the stuff in Russia as "Russian Cavier" then shipping it back to America for sale at enourmous profit.

Somehow suspicions were raised and the USDA did a DNA print of the eggs, revealing that they were from Montana, not Russia.