U.S. Dept. of Commerce / NOAA / NMFS Scientific Publications Office
U.S. Dept. of Commerce / NOAA / NMFS Scientific Publications Office
Preferred paper length ranges from 4 to 12 printed pages (about 10-40 manuscript pages), although shorter and longer papers are sometimes accepted. Papers are normally printed within 4-6 months of acceptance. Publication is hastened when manuscripts conform to the following recommended guidelines.
Submission of a manuscript to the Marine Fisheries Review implies that the manuscript is the author's own work, has not been submitted for publication elsewhere, and is ready for publication as submitted. Commerce Department personnel should submit papers under a completed NOAA Form 25-700.
Manuscripts must be printed (double-spaced) on high-quality white bond paper and submitted with two duplicate (but not carbon) copies. The complete manuscript normally includes a title page, a short abstract (if needed), text, literature citations, tables, figure legends, footnotes, and the figures. The title page should carry the title and the name, department, institution or other affiliation, and complete address (plus current address if different) of the author(s). Manuscript pages should be numbered and have 1.5-inch margins on all sides. Running heads are not used. An "Acknowledgments" section, if needed, may be placed at the end of the text. Use of appendices is discouraged.
Keep titles, headings, subheadings, and the abstract short and clear. Abstracts should be short (one-half page or less) and double-spaced. Paper titles should be no longer than 60 characters; a four- to fiveword (40 to 45 characters) title is ideal. Use heads sparingly, if at all. Heads should contain only 2-5 words; do not stack heads of different sizes.
In style, the Marine Fisheries Review follows the "U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual." Fish names follow the most recent edition of the American Fisheries Society's Special Publication, "A List of Common and Scientific Names of Fishes from the United States and Canada." The "Merriam-Webster Third New International Dictionary" is used as the authority for correct spelling and word division. Only journal titles and scientific names (genera and species) should be italicized (underscored). Dates should be written as 3 November 1986. In text, literature is cited as Lynn and Reid (1978) or as (Lynn and Reid, 1978). Common abbreviations and symbols such as mm, m, g, ml, mg, and oC (without periods) may be used with numerals. Measurements are preferred in metric units; other equivalent units (i.e., fathoms, oF) may also be listed in parentheses.
Text footnotes should be numbered with Arabic numerals and typed on a separate sheet of paper. Footnote all personal communications, unpublished data, and unpublished manuscripts with full address of the communicator or author, or, as in the case of unpublished data, where the data are on file. Authors are advised to avoid references to nonstandard (gray) literature, such as internal, project, processed, or administrative reports, wherever possible. Where these references are used, please include whether they are available from NTIS (National Technical Information Service) or from some other public depository.
Tables should be printed separately and double-spaced. Tables should not be excessive in size and must be cited in numerical order in the text. Headings should be short but ample enough to allow the table to be intelligible on its own. All unusual symbols must be explained in the table heading. Other incidental comments may be footnoted with italic numerals. Because tables are typeset, they need only be submitted typed and formatted, with double-spaced legends. Zeros should precede all decimal points for values less than one. Table headings and format should be consistent; do not use vertical rules.
Title the list of references "Literature Cited" and include only published works or those actually in press. Citations must contain the complete title of the work, inclusive pagination, full journal title, and the year, month, volume, and issue numbers of the publication. Unpublished reports or manuscripts and personal communications must be footnoted. Include the title, author, pagination of the manuscript or report, and the address where it is on file. For personal communications, list the name, affiliation, and address of the communicator and date of communication.
Citations should be double-spaced and listed alphabetically by the senior author's surname and initials. Co-authors should be listed by initials and surname. Where two or more citations have the same author(s), list them chronologically; where both author and year match on two or more, use lowercase alphabet to distinguish them (1979a, 1979b, 1979c, etc.). Authors must double-check all literature cited; they alone are responsible for its accuracy.
Figures include line illustrations and photographs (or slides) and must be cited in numerical order in the text. Unless photographs are submitted on glossy paper with good contrast, we cannot guarantee a good final printed copy. Figures are to be labeled with author's name and number of figure. Use Times Roman font (upper and lowercase letters) to label within figures. Avoid vertical lettering except for y-axis labels. Zeros should precede all decimal points for values less than one. Figures may be submitted as computer software files (along with laser-printed copies), as photo-mechanical transfers (PMTs), or as high quality photographic prints. Figure legends should explain all symbols and abbreviations and should be double-spaced on a separate page at the end of the manuscript. Consider column and page sizes when designing figures.
First-rate, professional papers are neat, accurate, and complete. Authors should proofread the manuscript for typographical errors and double-check its contents and appearance before submission. Mail the manuscript flat, first-class mail, to: Editor, Marine Fisheries Review, Scientific Publications Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115.
The senior author will receive 50 reprints (no cover) free of charge and 50 free copies are supplied to his or her organization. Additional reprints can be ordered for $50 per 100.
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