Small fish species are considered as a cheap source of protein to most coastal communities their fat-rich nature make them vulnerable to organic and in organic pollutants. Although the extent of contamination is more pronounced in large fish then in small fish species but their levels need to be assessed. Assessment of these chemical pollutants in small fish species and their products will assist to ensure their safety for human health consumption.

Sustainability studies regarding seafood often lack consideration of either nutritional or health aspects of the products in question. The focus of nutrition studies on household nutritional analysis and drivers of nutrition problems often lack attention on existing age and gendered nutrition diversities within households and analysis of nutrition actions that are key in improving people’s nutrition status (Moshy et al., 2013; Mtoi and Nyaruhucha, 2019; Lintelo et al 2020). The nutrition part of this project is important in order to make fisheries policy more gender nutrition sensitive, and generate reliable and high-quality representative data on nutrient content of aquatic food, age and gendered nutrient intake diversities, and relevant nutrition actions for addressing prevailing nutrition challenges.