Towards an Ethnobiology of Halibut Fishing on the Northwest Coast of North America

Session: 
Zooarcheaology
Date and Time: 
Thursday, 11 May, 2017 - 13:30
Author(s): 
Salmen-Hartley
, Jacob - UVic

This presentation will outline a research program designed to explore the relationships between people, fish, and material technology, over time. Through the implementation of a workshop module building, characterizing, and using halibut fishing equipment, conclusions can be drawn about fishing practices, technology, and past fish characteristics. Through this process of creation and experimentation, the transition of natural materials into technology and the implications of the characteristics of this technology for species interaction can be better understood. Through the creation of a ‘fish hook database’ containing archaeological and ethnographic halibut hooks, morphometrically analyzed using a standard system of measurements, conclusions can be drawn about regional, temporal, and stylistic, variations. Finally, the development of a set of regression equations to estimate past halibut size, will help to answer questions about species characteristics over time. This program of research will work towards emphasizing continuity of practice and provide data relevant for modern conservation.