Prehistoric Native American Fisheries of the Central California Coast

Over 77,000 fish remains from 51 archaeological sites on the central California coast between San Mateo and San Luis Obispo counties, deposited between 6200 B.C. and A.D. 1830, were studied to assess prehistoric species distribution, diversity, and Native American fisheries. Remains were obtained from exposed rocky coastal sites, lagoon-estuaries at Elkhorn Slough and Morro Bay, and the freshwater drainages of the Pajaro and Salinas rivers. On the rocky coast, 58.4% of the remains represented large inshore species, 26.9% were small schooling species, and 11.8% were surfperches (family Embiotocidae). Large inshore species included rockfishes Sebastes spp., lingcod Ophiodon elongatus, kelp greenling Hexagrammos deeagrammus, cabezon Seor­ paenichlhys marmoratus, and monkeyface prickleback Cebidichthys violaeeus. At Elkhorn Slough and Morro Bay, about half of the remains of marine species represented moderately small schooling species, includi ng Pacific herring Clupea pallasi, Pacific sardine Sardinops sagax, northern anchovy Engraulis mordax, topsmelt Atherinops afjinis, jacksmelt Atherinopsis ea/ifomiensis, and California grunion Leuresthes tenuis. Surfperches also were common, and specialized local fisheries for flounders or sharks and rays were suggested. Aquatic conditions at Elkhorn Slough were dra­ matically different from those that exist today. Sites on Elkhorn Slough had both marine and freshwater fishes.~Lnd showed site occupation when the Salinas River entered the slough and did not follow its present course into Monterey Bay. Sacramento perch Arehoplites interruptus was the most abundant species found at freshwater sites, and remains of extinct thicktail chub Gila crassicauda confirm its presence in the Pajaro and Salinas rivers. Surprisingly rare are the remains of steelhead (the anadl'Omous form of rainbow trout) Oncorhynchus mykiss. As is the case today, Pacific salmon were apparently absent from central coast streams south of the San Lorenzo River. Presumably the remains reflect local species availability, The archaeological record provides an important data increases when they are regionally consid­ baseline for the study of prehistoric North Amer­ ered. Our paper summarizes and interprets findings ican fisheries and empirical evidence for species from 51 archaeological sites from the central Cal­ distribution and diversity before contact with Eu­ ifornia coast between San Mateo and San Luis ropean culture. Archaeological investigations Obispo counties (Figure I). completed along the central coast of California Most of the sites are exclusively prehistoric, but over the last three decades and summarized here several were also occupied after Spanish contact provide abundant evidence for fisheries between (about A.D. 1769). Most are shell middens, which 6200 B.C. and A.D. 1830. Many of the archaeolog­ are primarily deposits of concentrated mollusk and ical findings have been reported only in obscure, other animal remains associated with villages, poorly circulated literature.) The value of these camps, and processing sites. The sites are adjacent to three aquatic habitats: exposed rocky coasts, lagoon-estuaries, and freshwater drainages. How-