Native California Fishing Practices | In Person (Ryan Ranch)

Course Description:

Recent archaeological evidence shows a surprising shift in Indigenous fishing practices along the Central California coast during the Late Holocene. Small intertidal fish like pricklebacks—often caught by hand rather than with traditional tools—became more common despite offering lower caloric returns. Why would communities turn to harder-to-catch, less rewarding prey? This course explores how environmental pressures, territorial boundaries and social dynamics led to intensified resource use and expanded participation in food gathering. We'll look at experimental foraging, archaeological data and cultural adaptations to understand the bigger picture behind this unexpected fishing strategy.