Indigenous oyster fisheries persisted for millennia and should inform future management

Leslie Reeder-Myers (), Todd J. Braje, Courtney A. Hofman, Emma A. Elliott Smith, Carey J. Garland, Michael Grone, Carla S. Hadden, Marco Hatch, Turner Hunt, Alice Kelley, Michelle J. LeFebvre, Michael Lockman, Iain McKechnie, Ian J. McNiven, Bonnie Newsom, Thomas Pluckhahn, Gabriel Sanchez, Margo Schwadron, Karen Y. Smith, Tam Smith, Arthur Spiess, Gabrielle Tayac, Victor D. Thompson, Taylor Vollman, Elic M. Weitzel and Torben C. Rick ()
Additional contact information
Leslie Reeder-Myers: Temple University, Department of Anthropology
Todd J. Braje: San Diego State University, Department of Anthropology
Courtney A. Hofman: University of Oklahoma, Department of Anthropology
Emma A. Elliott Smith: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Department of Anthropology
Carey J. Garland: University of Georgia, Department of Anthropology
Michael Grone: California Department of Parks and Recreation, Santa Cruz District
Carla S. Hadden: University of Georgia, Center for Applied Isotope Studies
Marco Hatch: Western Washington University, Environmental Science
Turner Hunt: Muscogee Nation, Department of Historical and Cultural Preservation
Alice Kelley: University of Maine, School of Earth and Climate Sciences
Michelle J. LeFebvre: University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History
Michael Lockman: National Park Service, Southeast Archeological Center
Iain McKechnie: Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria
Ian J. McNiven: Monash University, Monash Indigenous Studies Centre, ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity & Heritage
Bonnie Newsom: University of Maine, Climate Change Institute, Orono
Thomas Pluckhahn: University of South Florida, Department of Anthropology
Gabriel Sanchez: Michigan State University, Department of Anthropology
Margo Schwadron: National Park Service, Southeast Archeological Center
Karen Y. Smith: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Heritage Trust Program
Tam Smith: University of Queensland, School of Social Science
Arthur Spiess: Maine Historic Preservation Commission
Gabrielle Tayac: George Mason University, Department of History and Art History
Victor D. Thompson: University of Georgia, Department of Anthropology
Taylor Vollman: Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria
Elic M. Weitzel: University of Connecticut, Department of Anthropology
Torben C. Rick: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Department of Anthropology

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Historical ecology has revolutionized our understanding of fisheries and cultural landscapes, demonstrating the value of historical data for evaluating the past, present, and future of Earth’s ecosystems. Despite several important studies, Indigenous fisheries generally receive less attention from scholars and managers than the 17th–20th century capitalist commercial fisheries that decimated many keystone species, including oysters. We investigate Indigenous oyster harvest through time in North America and Australia, placing these data in the context of sea level histories and historical catch records. Indigenous oyster fisheries were pervasive across space and through time, persisting for 5000–10,000 years or more. Oysters were likely managed and sometimes “farmed,” and are woven into broader cultural, ritual, and social traditions. Effective stewardship of oyster reefs and other marine fisheries around the world must center Indigenous histories and include Indigenous community members to co-develop more inclusive, just, and successful strategies for restoration, harvest, and management.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29818-z

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