The Nutritional Value of Pacific Herring: an Ancient Cultural Keystone Species on the Northwest Coast of North America

Summary

Pacific herring play a special ecological role in North Pacific marine ecosystems by converting phytoplankton into energy consumable by a variety of animals, including humans. Northwest Coast peoples have been consuming herring since the early Holocene, and patterns of usage likely changed over time. Herring are available in different forms during different times of the year. This paper will evaluate the nutritional value of herring and seasonal herring products vis à vis other Northwest Coast animal foods by comparing values for protein, fat, calories, and brain-selective nutrients including Omega-3 fatty acids DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), in addition to iodine, iron, zinc, copper, and selenium. Herring are found to be remarkably rich nutritionally and function as the linchpin within complex ocean food webs. Their seasonal patterns of abundance attract a wide range of animals, almost all of which have been of economic value to Alaska Natives and First Nations for thousands of years.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)   •
• Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Death of Primitive Economic Man: Nutritional Archaeology for the 21st Century

Keywords

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