Join Dr. Camilla Speller for this event host ed by the Archaeological Institute of America (Vancouver Society) as part o f their public lecture series. These lectures are open to the public and t hose who are not AIA members but are interested in attending can contact Me gan Daniels (megan.daniels@ubc.ca) for informatio n.

Pacific salmon have been a corne rstone of Indigenous cultures and economies in the Pacific Northwest for mi llennia. This talk will present research that combines archaeological salmo n bone analysis with Indigenous knowledge to uncover pre-colonial fisheries ' biodiversity and resilience. In partnership with First Nations communitie s\, we document how traditional stewardship practices supported sustainable salmon populations\, even under changing environmental conditions. Using c utting-edge biomolecular techniques\, we analyze ancient salmon bones to re veal historical species diversity\, population trends\, and harvesting prac tices\, including strategies like sex-specific fishing strategies. These fi ndings provide critical insights for modern conservation efforts\, demonstr ating how archaeological data can inform ecologically sound and socially ju st management of salmon fisheries today. This research emphasizes how respe ctful collaboration with Indigenous communities is key to fostering sustain able pathways for Pacific salmon conservation and governance.

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