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The Historical Ecology and Ancient Fisheries of the Central California Coast: Insights from Point Reyes National Seashore and the Santa Cruz Coast
- Sanchez, Gabriel M.
- Advisor(s): Lightfoot, Kent G.
Abstract
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.
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