Shifting Baselines in the Pacific Northwest: the Story of Pacific Herring and the observations of San Juan County Fishers
Presentation Abstract
Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) is important forage for the threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon. Herring stocks are found across Puget Sound, two stocks inhabit the San Juan Islands. Pacific herring is considered a keystone species because of its high productivity and is an important prey item. In the San Juan Islands, one of the two herring stocks is considered extirpated and the other at very low levels. Given the importance of herring to Chinook (recovery), what can be done to recover herring in the San Juan Islands? Alongside herring is eelgrass, its favorite spawning substrate. Did herring collapse with the loss of eelgrass? Are there other potential causes? Indigenous traditional knowledge and historic sources seem to suggest that in the past there was higher prevalence of locally adapted, distinct herring populations. We will discuss the latest research on herring and offer next steps for restoration and assessment.
In recent decades, there has been an effort to integrate biological data with local ecological knowledge in order to construct long-term ecological baselines. These baselines can provide a qualitative framework that can be used to gauge the success of conservation activities. Pacific herring are a key species of Salish Sea food webs and the target of on-going conservation efforts. Here, we present the results of an effort to collect the local ecological knowledge of elderly fishers in San Juan County, WA. We conducted interviews with experienced fishers to evaluate the cultural significance and abundance trends of herring. Interview data suggested that herring were more abundant in the mid-20th century than today and were considered an important source of food and bait in San Juan County. There was also evidence of shifting baselines in the perception of ecosystem health among fishers from different generations.
Session Title
Tools and Strategies for Growing Citizen Science
Conference Track
Engagement
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Chinook salmon--Food--Washington (State)--San Juan County; Pacific herring--Washington (State)--San Juan County; Chinook salmon--Effect of habitat modification on--Washington (State)--San Juan County; Coastal ecosystem health--Washington (State)--San Juan County; Ethnoecology; Ethnoscience; Indians of North America
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); San Juan County (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Shifting Baselines in the Pacific Northwest: the Story of Pacific Herring and the observations of San Juan County Fishers
2016SSEC
Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) is important forage for the threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon. Herring stocks are found across Puget Sound, two stocks inhabit the San Juan Islands. Pacific herring is considered a keystone species because of its high productivity and is an important prey item. In the San Juan Islands, one of the two herring stocks is considered extirpated and the other at very low levels. Given the importance of herring to Chinook (recovery), what can be done to recover herring in the San Juan Islands? Alongside herring is eelgrass, its favorite spawning substrate. Did herring collapse with the loss of eelgrass? Are there other potential causes? Indigenous traditional knowledge and historic sources seem to suggest that in the past there was higher prevalence of locally adapted, distinct herring populations. We will discuss the latest research on herring and offer next steps for restoration and assessment.
In recent decades, there has been an effort to integrate biological data with local ecological knowledge in order to construct long-term ecological baselines. These baselines can provide a qualitative framework that can be used to gauge the success of conservation activities. Pacific herring are a key species of Salish Sea food webs and the target of on-going conservation efforts. Here, we present the results of an effort to collect the local ecological knowledge of elderly fishers in San Juan County, WA. We conducted interviews with experienced fishers to evaluate the cultural significance and abundance trends of herring. Interview data suggested that herring were more abundant in the mid-20th century than today and were considered an important source of food and bait in San Juan County. There was also evidence of shifting baselines in the perception of ecosystem health among fishers from different generations.
