The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences awarded a $152,407 Project Grant to the University of South Florida (USF) from March 1, 2024 to February 28, 2027 under the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences program (CFDA 47.075).
The grant supports a collaborative research project that examines the resilience and long-term productivity of small-scale coastal fisheries in a mangrove wetland ecosystem. The research leverages diverse archaeological methods, including radiocarbon dating, zooarchaeological analysis, and examination of sediment cores, ceramics, and stone tools, to understand fluctuations in fishing productivity over the past two millennia. This data is complemented by observations of modern fishing behavior to provide holistic insights into the long-term resilience of subsistence practices. The study aims to reveal the complex relationships between ecological, political, and sociocultural factors that influence small-scale fisheries. In addition to contributing to archaeological theory, the findings are expected to inform management strategies for contemporary fisheries. The project also includes plans to develop a collaborative museum exhibit and convene a workshop to advance sustainable fishery management.