North Star Caviar
Williston, N.D.
Thanks to the Bakken fracking boom, North Dakota boasts the fastest-growing wages in the United States by a long shot. It’s only appropriate that the state take its rightful spot in the nation’s swag echelon by producing its own caviar.
Why we chose this caviar:
North Star Caviar, a joint venture between nonprofit organizations Friends of Fort Union and Williston Chamber of Commerce, harvests eggs from local paddlefish. Fishermen benefit by having their fish processed and filleted for free. Some proceeds go to grants for education projects in Williston, while others are reinvested into researching and protecting the local paddlefish population. The paddlefish fishery is heavily regulated by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to maintain sustainable population levels.
Pretty penny for an ugly fish:
“It is the ugliest, strangest-looking fish you have ever seen in your life,” says Scott Meske, president of the Williston Chamber of Commerce. “I’ve seen 100-pound paddlefish and I’ve seen 3-pound paddlefish — they’re just all ugly.”
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