The population seems to have collapsed due to overfishing and marine pollution.

Its flesh and roe are enjoyed as food, and highly prized in the Gilan and Mazandaran provinces in Iran.

[2] The main food items are mollusks, shrimp, amphipods, and crabs.

Main aggregations are confined to the southwestern part of the sea adjacent to the Anzali and Qizilchay Bays.

On the eastern coast, it occurs in the Atrek estuarine areas and in the Iranian waters.