We analyzed the small-scale fishery in the port of Vilanova i la Geltrú (NWMediterranean) to assess the fishing practices in this fishery and produce economicindicators of its status. We defined the fishing tactics (or métiers) of this fishery witha multivariate analysis approach for evaluating the main fishery resources and fishinggears employed. Our results show that netters in this fishery practice 7 types of fishingtactics. Five of these fishing tactics, in terms of target species, gear and seasonality,are also used in other small-scale Mediterranean fisheries. The main types of fishing gear(trammel nets, gillnets) and target species (Sepia officinalis,Solea vulgaris, Mullus surmuletus andMerluccius merluccius), and a well defined seasonality, are alsoobserved in other studies of Mediterranean small-scale fisheries. We show that theseasonal rotation of fishing tactics is determined by the availability of different fishspecies rather than market price. Identifying the fishing tactics, which in theMediterranean are relatively limited in number, of small-scale fisheries providesinformation for developing monitoring and management strategies for these fisheries. Wealso assessed the economic performance of the small-scale fishery in Vilanova i la Geltrúand its conflicts with other uses of the coastal zone. We conclude that small-scalefisheries are an economically viable activity although seriously threatened by concurrentuses of the coastal zone (conflict with other extractive activities; competition for spacewith tourism and leisure activities; pollution). The integrated management of the uses ofthe coastal zone is necessary in order to sustain small-scale fisheries, which have becomeless important in economic terms, but which are an important social component of localcoastal communities and are a source of high quality seafood with a low ecological impact.