UC Berkeley

The study of ancient and historic fisheries is essential for understanding past indigenous

economies and ways of life that have relevance for modern fisheries management, restoration

ecology, and conservation biology. Archaeological sites represent long-term biological

repositories; they contain relevant information that provides historical baseline data and

ecological reference points for contemporary conservation biology, restoration ecology, and

fisheries management. Contemporary impacts, historical overfishing, and ecological extinctions

threaten coastal ecosystems, as reduced fish populations no longer interact significantly with

other species in the community. The time-depth of the archaeological record can provide vital

information for scientists, resource managers, policy makers, and sovereign Native American

nations to prioritize resources for conservation and restoration.

As a result of collaborative eco-archaeology with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, the Federated

Indians of Graton Rancheria, the National Park Service, and California State Parks, this

dissertation outlines the ancient fisheries of central California from the Middle Holocene to the

historic era spanning the last 7,000 years. Through the investigation of fourteen archaeological

sites from Point Reyes National Shore to Santa Cruz County, this dissertation offers three case

studies that highlight the value of historical ecology and eco-archaeology of ancient and historic

fisheries. These data contribute information for tribes and federal and state agencies, to inform

the co-management of fisheries by defining the range of organisms used in ancient and historic

times, organism biogeography, and indigenous fishing techniques and technologies.