  Within the statistical multifragmentation model we study modifications of the
surface and symmetry energy of primary fragments in the freeze-out volume. The
ALADIN experimental data on multifragmentation obtained in reactions induced by
high-energy projectiles with different neutron richness are analyzed. We have
extracted the isospin dependence of the surface energy coefficient at different
degrees of fragmentation. We conclude that the surface energy of hot fragments
produced in multifragmentation reactions differs from the values extracted for
isolated nuclei at low excitation. At high fragment multiplicity, it becomes
nearly independent of the neutron content of the fragments.
