Sustainable Indigenous Fishing in the Pre-Contact Caribbean: Evidence and Critical Considerations from Carriacou, Grenada

Multiple studies reveal pre-1492 anthropogenic impacts on Caribbean fisheries that are consistent with overfishing, including changes in targeted prey, shifts marine habitats exploited, and decreases the average body size of taxa. At Indigenous village Sabazan (AD 400–1400) Carriacou, Lesser Antilles, post-AD 800 declines fishing, increased mollusk collection, resource patch emphasis accord archaeological correlates depression predicted by foraging theory models from behavioral ecology. Here, I apply logic abundance indices incorporating fish habitat to test predictions expanded diet breadth, declining prey size, more distant fishing patches typically associated overfishing. Results uphold a significant decrease overall which may be due change Medieval Warm Period. Indices use do not meet expectations for depression, however. Instead, they suggest an absence fishery at least 600 years sustainable fishing. review similar findings other sites either negative evidence fisheries’ or quantitatively demonstrated These collectively serve as critical reminder heterogeneous trajectories social–ecological systems pre-contact need meta-level analyses region’s ancient fisheries. discuss application sustainability concept conclude critical, explicit approach defining measuring is needed.