This study deals with the challenges facing the development of artisanal fisheries in Brazil. The problems affecting production in the sector are worsening, due as much to objective factors like environmental degradation and the destruction of natural resources as to the ineffectiveness of government strategy. The result is a lack of sustained development of the sector and a stagnation in the living conditions of the fishworker communities. Besides attempting an analysis of the situation of artisanal fisheries in Brazil, this study puts forth some alternative strategies for the development of the sector.