1983 ICLARM report. In spite of successes, ICLARM has been made keenly aware of the worldwide recession and its impact on research funding. Donors are faced with increasingly difficult decisions as inflation erodes the impact of static or even decreasing financial resources, and decisions must be made concerning the relative value of research in different sectors and on topics within each sector. The questions asked by donors faced with these hard decisions are questions that are relevant to all fisheries research institutions in developing countries. A general discussion of the questions including a brief summary of our answers should be of interest. The questions fall into three general categories dealing with (1) The Fisheries Sector, (2) ICLARM Program Impact and (3) Communication of Results.