Small-scale fisheries (SSF, vessels <12 m under EU definition, e.g. artisanal) represent the majority of the European fleet and fishers, but the areas where they operate remain largely undocumented. This study produces the first spatial baseline of where the 59,268 SSF vessels are operating at a pan-European scale, covering 117 geographical units across 34 countries and four marine basins. For each unit, an SSF activity polygon was constructed through a five-level hierarchical procedure, integrating data from experts, scientific literature, official registers and proxies. Fleet estimates were compiled from expert questionnaires, FDI databases, and GFCM registers, following a six-level hierarchy with explicit confidence levels.
Although the Mediterranean and Black Sea account for only 26% of the total mapped area, they concentrate 69.8% of the fleet, corresponding to an SSF/LSF ratio of 5:1. Fleet density gradient ranges from 4.09 (Malta) to 0.04 (Sweden) vessels km⁻¹ of coastline, reflecting a structural North-South gradient. SSF polygons overlap with MPAs in 68% of units; overlap with VME areas is minimal (5%). The dataset, with documented and georeferenced gaps, serves as a baseline against which future positioning data, generated through CR 2023/2842 implementation, which will extend tracking obligations to all vessels by 2029, can be compared.
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