Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology

We report the identification of nearly 4,000 fish bones from archaeological sites on Cedros Island, Baja California, Mexico, that range in age from approximately 10,010 cal B.C. to 1630 cal A.D. Wrasses were the most represented group of fishes, followed closely by sea basses, tilefishes, and croakers. Of the individual species identified, ocean whitefish, California sheephead, and white croaker were the most abundant. Comparisons to fishes from modern surveys and to fishes specific to particular marine habitats suggest that the diversity of fishes was very similar to that found today, and are most closely associated with kelp bed/rocky reefs and nearshore soft-bottom areas. We also compare the Cedros Island archaeological fishes to those from archaeological excavations on islands of the Southern California Bight. We infer that the fishery of the native peoples of Cedros Island and other California islands was primarily inshore in predictable locations.