Resumo:The closed fishing season, known in Brazil as Defeso, is one of the measures of the National Policy for Sustainable Development of Aquaculture and Fishing. However, most normative acts of Defeso are out of date, largely due to a lack of data on fishing, which has become an obstacle to implement the revision of the closed periods. The Seguro-Defeso is a programme that combines environmental and social goals. By ensuring compliance with the environmental measure, it aims to help preserve various species of fish, crustaceans, etc., contributing to the sustainability of the fishing sector. By compensating the fishers for lost income due to the Defeso, the programme helps them comply with the closed season. This study highlights the potential of administrative records for programme evaluation through the successful linking of databases.