In the selection of new projects, rapid appraisal techniques should be utilized to assess the cultural background and the socioeconomics of the current fishery. Such techniques have already proved their worth in connection with agricultural development (Hildebrand, 1981) and could rather easily be adapted to fishing communities. A careful program of monitoring and evaluation should also be built into projects so that lessons learned can be carefully documented and problems identified before they reach “crisis” proportions. As with project appraisal, rapid survey techniques could be utilized which get reports to planners and administrators in a matter of weeks rather than months.
