Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Keystone Marine Species and Ecosystems, California North Coast MPA Baseline Study, 2014 to 2015

This project, Informing the North Coast MPA Baseline: Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Keystone Marine Species and Ecosystems, applies Tribal/Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (T/ITK) to inform the baseline characterization for State Marine Protected Area (MPA) monitoring. This project represents the first time that T/ITK has been gathered under the State MPA Baseline Monitoring Program. It contributes a highly relevant and groundbreaking study that utilizes T/ITK to develop a baseline characterization for key nearshore marine habitats, and provides significant historical context for that baseline. The project also provides information on essential consumptive and non-consumptive uses by several North Coast Tribes, as well as areas where Tribal citizens are concerned about a particular threat to marine resources and/or habitats. This information is critically important because Tribal citizens constitute a vital “front line” user group with extensive marine knowledge and stewardship practices that span countless generations.