American archaeologists from the University of New Hampshire have discovered the oldest fishing industry in Central America, located in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary in Belize. The study was published in the scientific journal Science Advances (SciAdv).
The team found an extensive network of ponds and canals designed to channel flood waters into special reservoirs for fish collection. According to preliminary estimates, such a system could provide food for up to 15 thousand people a year.
Scientists estimate that the fishery was built during the Late Archaic period around 2000 BC by hunter-gatherers.
The researchers also analyzed sediment samples collected from the walls of the ancient structure. Pollen samples showed that at that time the area was dominated by tropical forests, and there were no agricultural fields near bodies of water.
“Ancient hunter-gatherers and fishermen knew how to protect their resources and use them in ways that maintained these habitats rather than depleting them, which explains their long-term residence in this area,” the authors of the study noted.
