Women's contribution in European small-scale fisheries is high but still invisible in the public space in many Member States. This essay attempts to assess the contribution of women within this male-dominated industry in the absence of gender-based statistics. It first presents formal employment and unrecognized work of women in fisheries. A second section reviews the many cases where women initiale or contribute to the diversification of activities by fisher families. The essay also looks at the role of national or European legislation in enabling recognition of women's work and in facilitating or preventing income diversification in family-based fishing enterprises.