Biological, social and economic information is necessary in order to assess the
effectiveness of fisheries management measures. Indicators of the economic performance of
fishing vessels are a useful tool for improving management strategies and are necessary
for the implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management in European
waters. However, they are usually difficult to obtain from official data, which are often
biased, incomplete and/or lacking in spatial references. In this paper, a broad set of
economic indicators is provided for the fleet operating around the Cíes Islands (NW Spain)
during 2008, based on data obtained from interviews with fishers. Artisanal and purse
seiners were the most representative segments of the study fleet. While artisanal vessels
played an essential social role in Galician fishing communities, purse seiners were a
fundamental economic segment as they had the highest profitability per vessel. Both
segments appeared to be economically profitable in 2008, with a moderate rate of return on
investment for artisanal vessels (around 7%) and a high rate (around 13%) for purse
seiners. The present study identified the waters around the Cíes Islands as an essential
fishing ground for the study fleet due to the high cash flow that it generated. As part of
this area now belongs to a national marine park, our results represent a reference point
for decision-makers and for the development of effective management strategies.