A COMPREHENSIVE, FORMAL BODY OF KNOWLEDGE ON SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES DOES NOT CURRENTLY EXIST. RESEARCH RESULTS THAT DO EXIST RELATE TO INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS OF THE FISHERY SYSTEM, AND USUALLY CANNOT BE EFFECTIVELY COMBINED WITH RESEARCH OR ANOTHER COMPONENT. THIS IS WHY THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR MARINE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND RECENTLY BEGAN A PROGRAM OF RESEARCH DESIGNED TO FILL MANY OF THE GAPS IN OUR KNOWLEDGE OF SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THE FIVE CATEGORIES OF RESEARCH ARE BIOLOGICAL, ECONOMIC, FOOD TECHNOLOGY, INSTITUTIONAL, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM OF DATA COLLECTION AND OF STOCK ASSESSMENT THAT IS ADMINISTRATIVELY FEASIBLE FOR FISHERIES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THE ECONOMIC RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THE HARVESTING SECTOR, MARKETING SYSTEMS, AND CONSUMERS OF FISH AND FISH PRODUCTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE FOOD TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH ARE TO DEVELOP A QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING FOOD TECHNOLOGY, DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY, AND ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING NEW TECHNOLOGY AND FISH PRODUCTS IN PARTICULAR LOCATIONS. THE INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH IS DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY ASPECTS OF EXISTING ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORKS THAT IMPEDE FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT. THE RESEARCH ON TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FOCUSES ON THREE ISSUES: (1) DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF FISHERMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS; (2) DESIGNING MESSAGES FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION; AND (3) THE GOALS AND METHODS OF FISHERMEN'S TRAINING PROGRAMS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO DETERMINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS FOR CARRYING OUT A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.