Small-scale fishing produces about half of the total landings of the gulfof Gabès (Tunisia), but still remains very poorly known. Coastal fleet structureis studied through a typological approach based on multivariate analyses of tripcatches (principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and partition). Eleven‘métiers' are defined by combinations of target species,fishing gears and periods: two of them target cephalopods (octopus and cuttlefish) inwinter, one targets shrimp with trammels, and eight target finfish in a more or lessselective way with gillnets, trammelnets or their combination, with set nets,and with longlines. This study of Tunisian coastal fishery is the first step towardsa more thorough understanding of its structure and dynamics, which is necessary forthe management of resources and fishing activities.