Small-scale fishing produces about half of the total landings of the gulf of Gabès (Tunisia), but still remains very poorly known. Coastal fleet structure is studied through a typological approach based on multivariate analyses of trip catches (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) in winter, one targets shrimp with trammels, and eight target finfish in a more or less selective way with gillnets, trammelnets or their combination, with set nets, and with longlines. This study of Tunisian coastal fishery is the first step towards a more thorough understanding of its structure and dynamics, which is necessary for the management of resources and fishing activities.