Assessing Variability in Northwest Coast Salmon and Herring Fisheries: Bucket-Auger Sampling of Shell Midden Sites on the Central Coast of British Columbia

The results of bucket-auger sampling at shell midden sites show that this is an accurate and efficient method for assessing the focus and intensity of local fisheries. The results confirm long-term trends in salmon production identified previously on the basis of excavations at the Namu site, and show the extent of variability in the salmon and herring fisheries at other sites in the region. Comparison of the relative density of fish bone in auger samples serves as a useful method for distinguishing between long-term habitation and specific-purpose campsites, and provides a basis for assessing the extent and implications of temporal and inter-village variability in salmon productivity.