The necessity of improving knowledge in fisheries and especially small-scale coastal fisheries in order to analyze the conditions for their sustainable development is increasingly recognized. The three main requirements for the sustainable development of fisheries are the simultaneous present and future well-being of the bio-ecological system, the human system and the management process. Knowledge on these aspects of small-scale coastal fisheries (SSCF) in Europe is generally limited, although there has been an improvement in information on the fishing sector and inshore marine resources due to the EU Data Collection Regulations (DCR). SSCF are strongly represented in all EU Member States (81% and 87% of the EU 25 whole fleet is composed of vessels less than 12 and 15 meters respectively) and approximately 100,000 crew are involved in SSCF in Europe. SSCF are present all around the European coast, even in isolated and sensitive areas.