North Star Caviar is a unique NON-PROFIT company. We began in 1993 as a joint venture of two non-profit organizations... the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of Fort Union/Fort Buford.

Under the agreement forged between North Star Caviar and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, paddlefish eggs are donated to the project by successful sportfishermen in exchange for having their fish cleaned free of charge. The roe is then processed into premium caviar and sold on the world market. We are licensed for export and international CITES trade.

The first portion of each year's proceeds from the sale of caviar is directed to the Game and Fish Department for paddlefish research, information and enforcement. The remaining proceeds are granted back to non-profit groups in the region for historical, cultural, and recreational projects and efforts which improve conditions of habitat and land and water access for outdoor activities.


Protecting the paddlefish and its necessary spawning habitat is a priority of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, who licenses and oversees North Star Caviar's operation. The Department regulates the length of the paddlefishing season and the annual harvest ceiling. Net proceeds from this project support paddlefish research by the Department, as well as other projects which improve conditions of habitat and land and water access for outdoor activities. Expert biologists work on site collecting data. North Star only handles legally tagged fish from licensed fishermen.