Recent research findings related to the technology and socioeconomics of small-scale municipal fishermen in the Philippines and the "open-access" resources they exploit are reviewed. Evidence is provided of a trend towards overfishing of Philippine coastal waters, and of a willingness among fishermen to consider alternative activities to capture fishing. Also documented is the encouraging shift in emphasis in government programs from a resource "develop¬ment" orientation to one of resource "management." The review concludes with a discussion of the impli¬cations of these research findings to fisheries management and research.