Code of ethics
The Ethical Statement of the Croatian Journal of Fisheries is based on the guidelines and standards developed and published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All documents are available free of charge on the COPE website.
It is necessary to agree upon standards of expected ethical behavior for all parties involved in the act of publishing (authors, editors, peer reviewers, publisher).
The Croatian Journal of Fisheries ethic statements are based on the guidelines and standards developed and published by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Croatian Journal of Fisheries is a member of Cross Check, a multi-publisher initiative for screen of published and submitted content for originality. By depositing published content and checking submitted manuscripts for plagiarism, Croatian Journal of Fisheries is actively committed to combat against plagiarism and devoted to publication of original research.
Name of journal - The journal’s title “Croatian Journal of Fisheries” is distinctive and clearly recognizable, avoiding any possibility of confusion with other publications. It accurately reflects its origin and scope, without creating misleading associations with other journals or organizations.
Website - The journal’s website is regularly maintained and supported, with strong attention to security to ensure user protection. All traffic runs through HTTPS. The site follows web standards and ethical practices in both content and design. It presents accurate information without misleading readers or authors and does not imitate the appearance or identity of other journals or publishers. When content from external sources is included, the original source is clearly acknowledged.
Publishing schedule - The journal clearly states its publication frequency and consistently adheres to it.
Archiving - The journal maintains a clear plan for electronic backup and long-term digital preservation of its content, ensuring continued access even if the journal or publisher ceases operations.
Copyright - The journal clearly states the copyright terms for all published content, which are separate from the website’s own copyright. The copyright holder is indicated in the full text of every article.
Licensing - The journal clearly displays licensing information on its website. Licensing terms appear on the full text of all articles. Open Access content uses an open license, and policies regarding the posting of author manuscripts or published articles in third-party repositories are clearly stated.
Principles to which authors should adhere - Original material should be presented in a manner that transparently shows the research process and fully reveals the value the research brings to literature. To ensure originality upon publication, the same article or research should not be submitted concurrently to more than one publication.
It should be ensured that any work presented as original is indeed original, which requires citations to be added for all or part of any work that originated with other authors, and quotation marks to be used for any text that originated with other authors. Plagiarized text must never be included in an article.
Sufficient detail, including raw data used to support the conclusions (if requested by a peer reviewer), should be provided in each article to enable professionals in the relevant field to attempt to replicate the findings and conclusions. Results of tests and other research should be presented directly and honestly in the article, without falsity, fabrication, or inappropriate manipulation. Fraudulent data or knowingly inaccurate statements must never be included.
Research for each article should be conducted in an ethical and responsible manner, in compliance with relevant legislation and applicable industry rules and guidelines. Retractions or corrections should be issued promptly upon the discovery or notification (and verification) of inaccuracies in an article.
A complete and accurate list of reliable sources should be included with each article submitted for publication to support all facts presented. All actual or perceived conflicts of interest, including those posed by any funding sources, should be disclosed in each article.
Accurate authorship attribution should be ensured for each article, with all listed authors having made significant contributions to the research and/or article, and all individuals who made significant contributions properly included as co-authors. Collective responsibility should be taken by the authors for all articles submitted and published. COPE Council
Editors ensure that any addition or removal of authors from a submission is justified and confirmed, with all authors meeting appropriate authorship criteria and no deserving contributors omitted. Changes are made only for well-documented reasons and with the agreement of all authors. Authorship disputes are generally not resolved by the journal but are referred to the authors’ institutions.
The journal does not publish any articles without confirmation from all listed authors. It is recommended that all authors register for correspondence with the journal. Publication without this confirmation is not permitted, as the journal will have no responsible contact if ethical issues arise after publication, and no author would have formally accepted responsibility for the content. (COPE Council)
The journal responding to suspected breaches of ethical standards are supported by COPE guidelines. The Editor-in-Chief is designated as the contact person for ethics inquiries and complaints. The editorial team focuses on the prompt correction of the literature, while institutions of authors or employers may be requested to investigate and monitor misconduct and apply disciplinary measures. When necessary, other journals or relevant institutions (authors, editors, reviewers) are contacted, and independent or legal advice is sought.
Principles to which peer reviewers should adhere - All articles should be reviewed objectively, without bias or favoritism based on the origin of the article, the gender, race, national origin, ethnicity, religious or political beliefs, sexual orientation, age of the authors, or commercial considerations.
Articles should be reviewed only in subject areas in which expertise is conducted.
Before agreeing to review an article, it should be ensured that sufficient time and resources are available to complete a comprehensive assessment in a timely manner.
Articles that create a conflict of interest, or the appearance there of, should be declined for review. Potential conflicts arising from the content of the article, its authors, or its founders should be disclosed to the publisher, and advice should be sought before proceeding with a review if uncertainty exists.
Reviews should be provided in a constructive and impartial manner, avoiding any hostile, inflammatory, libelous, unfair, or unnecessarily derogatory comments.
Confidentiality of unpublished articles should be maintained during and after the peer review process, including refraining from discussing them with others.
Research or information contained in unpublished articles should not be used for any purpose, including personal gain or the advantage or disadvantage of any other person or organization.
Any instances of improper citation, errors, or material omissions in an article should be promptly disclosed to the article’s editor.
Ownership and Management - The journal clearly presents information about its ownership and management on the website. Organizational names are used accurately and do not mislead authors or editors about the journal’s ownership.
Advisory Body - The journal has an Editorial board or advisory body consisting of recognised experts in the fields defined by its aims and scope. The full names and affiliations of all members are listed on the website. The list is kept up to date, and members have confirmed their willingness to serve. The board is regularly reviewed to ensure its relevance and to avoid any association with predatory or misleading journals.
Editorial Team / Contact Information - The journal provides the full names and affiliations of its editors and complete contact details for the editorial office, including the full mailing address, on its website.
Author Fees - The journal does not charge any fees for submission, processing, or publication. All articles are published free of charge, and no fees or waivers influence editorial decisions.
Advertising - The journal does not accept any advertising. All content remains independent, and editorial decisions are completely free from commercial influence.
Direct Marketing - The journal does not engage in direct marketing or unsolicited solicitation of manuscripts. All information about the journal or publisher is accurate and transparent.