Aknowledgement

I owe many thanks to people who helped and supported me throughout the dissertation. First, my deepest thanks goes to my Supervisor Dr. Christopher Muhando of the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) for guiding and correcting various documents with attention and care. He has taken pains to go through the Dissertation and made necessary correction as needed. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Magreth Kywelyanga, Director of the Institute of Marine Sciences for providing me an opportunity to study at the Institute. I wish to express my thanks to the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) for financial support and guidance. Sincere appreciation goes to the Fisheries Development Division for allowing me to use fish landing site data from the Fisheries Frame Survey Database. Special thanks go to Ms. Lilian Omolo and Mr. Edward Kimakwa for editing and proofing various drafts of my work. I would like to appreciate Ms. Bupe Mwapamba, Mr. Sijali Juma and Mr. Magege, fisheries officers at Bagamoyo and Kinondoni Districts for their kind co-operation that contributed to the completion of my project work. I would also thank my Institution members without whom this research would have been a distant reality. Finally, I extend my heartfelt thanks, gratitude and love to my friends and my beloved parents for their support, strength, and help.