ArtFiMed "Sustainable Development of Mediterranean artisanal fisheries in Morocco and Tunisia", funded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECID), was developed in the continuity of the regional project COPEMED and at the request of the participating countries. During the last meeting of the Coordination Committee of the COPEMED project (Tunisia, May 2005), the representatives of all participating countries have made a specific motion to continue the project with a particular emphasis on the development of actions in direct support to SSF.