Prion Beach Rockshelter: Seabirds And Offshore Islands In Southwest Tasmania

Excavations in 1989 at Prion Beach Rockshelter produced a diverse faunal assemblage which has implications for our understanding of the economic role of offshore islands in southwest Tasmania. A prominent part of the faunal assemblage was a variety of seabirds, notably Fairy Prion, Short-tailed Shearwater and Common Diving Petrel. In this paper I will argue that seabirds constitute an important suite of resources in the southwest which require a relatively high risk procurement strategy.