Abstract It is commonly assumed that beach seining (BS) is more sustainable than bottom trawling because it involves non-motorized operations and limited fishing power. However, no scientific evidence supports this assumption. To address this gap, we evaluated the impact of beach seining, taking a small-scale shrimp fishery in northeast Brazil. Data collected monthly from December 2016 to November 2017 and in literature, were assessed (BS 31,001 individuals, 119 species, 37 families, and 19 orders; BT 6,031 individuals, 58 species, 20 families, and 14 orders). Beach seining demonstrated a lower proportion of bycatch (BS 1:2.3; BT 1:3.2), higher total shrimp catch (BS 87.2 t; BT 65 t), and greater species diversity than bottom trawling catches (BS 119; BT 58). Other aspects were closer associated with bottom trawling, such as the composition of dominant families (Sciaenidae and Pristigasteridae), the proportion of rare species (BS 30%; BT 24%) juveniles (BS 11g; BT 13g), the risk of species extinction, and the composition of ecological guilds. Despite their social significance, both fishing gears showed similar ecological indicators and adverse effects. The findings establish that the ecological concerns related to the impact of bottom trawling are also applicable to beach seine. BS nonmotorized non motorized power However assumption gap smallscale small scale Brazil 201 literature 31001 31 001 31,00 individuals 11 3 1 orders 6031 6 031 6,03 5 2 orders. . orders) 12.3 123 2.3 1:2.3 13.2, 132 3.2 , 1:3.2) 872 87 87. t t, t) 58. 58) Sciaenidae Pristigasteridae, Pristigasteridae Pristigasteridae) 30% 30 24% 24 11g g 13g, 13g 13g) extinction guilds significance effects seine 3100 00 31,0 603 03 6,0 12 12. 23 2. 1:2. 13 13.2 32 3. 1:3.2 8 310 0 31, 60 6, 1:2 13. 1:3. 1: 1:3