The Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research (BJFR) is committed to promoting the broad dissemination, accessibility, and responsible reuse of scholarly knowledge through an open access publishing model. This Copyright and Licensing Policy establishes the principles governing the ownership, publication, distribution, reuse, and protection of copyrighted materials published in the journal. It aims to balance the rights of authors, readers, and the publisher while ensuring compliance with internationally recognized standards for scholarly communication.
BJFR publishes original research articles and other scholarly content under an immediate open access model, enabling unrestricted access to scientific information without subscription or paywall barriers. The journal believes that publicly accessible research enhances scientific collaboration, accelerates innovation, supports evidence-based policymaking, and increases the visibility and impact of published work. This policy applies to all manuscripts accepted for publication in BJFR, including research articles, review articles, short communications, case studies, methodological papers, editorials, commentaries, perspectives, data papers, and supplementary materials. It also governs the use of figures, tables, photographs, datasets, multimedia files, and other content associated with published articles.
By submitting a manuscript to BJFR, authors acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to comply with this Copyright and Licensing Policy. Acceptance of a manuscript for publication constitutes agreement to publish the work under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license while allowing authors to retain copyright ownership.
Definitions
For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply:
Copyright refers to the legal protection granted to creators of original literary, artistic, scientific, and scholarly works, providing exclusive rights over the reproduction, distribution, communication, adaptation, and other uses of those works, subject to applicable laws and license terms.
Author refers to any individual who has made substantial scholarly contributions to the conception, design, execution, analysis, interpretation, or writing of a manuscript and satisfies the authorship criteria established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Corresponding Author is the author responsible for communicating with the journal throughout the submission, peer review, publication, and post-publication processes and for ensuring that all co-authors approve the final manuscript and publication agreement.
Publisher refers to the BJFR, which is responsible for managing editorial processes, publishing accepted manuscripts, preserving the scholarly record, and disseminating published content.
Open Access means unrestricted, immediate, permanent, and free online availability of scholarly articles without financial, legal, or technical barriers beyond those necessary for internet access.
Creative Commons License refers to a standardized public copyright license that enables authors to specify how others may use, share, adapt, and redistribute their work.
Version of Record means the final, authoritative, peer-reviewed, copyedited, typeset, and published version of an article that appears on the journal’s official website.
Third-Party Material includes any content not originally created by the submitting authors, such as previously published figures, photographs, illustrations, tables, questionnaires, datasets, maps, or multimedia materials.
Reuse means any lawful reproduction, distribution, adaptation, translation, mining, extraction, or incorporation of published content into another work, subject to the applicable license.
Attribution refers to appropriate acknowledgement of the original authors, article title, journal, publication details, digital object identifier (DOI), and license information whenever the work is reused.
Commercial Use means any use intended for commercial advantage or monetary compensation. Under the CC BY 4.0 license, commercial reuse is permitted provided that proper attribution is given and all license conditions are met.
Moral Rights are the personal rights retained by authors under applicable copyright laws, including the right to be identified as the creator of the work and the right to object to derogatory treatment of the work where such rights are recognized by law.
Copyright ownership
BJFR recognizes that authors are the intellectual creators of their scholarly work. Accordingly, authors retain full copyright ownership of all articles published in the journal. Publication in BJFR does not require authors to transfer copyright to the journal or its publisher. Upon acceptance of a manuscript, authors grant BJFR a non-exclusive license to publish, reproduce, distribute, archive, index, and preserve the work in accordance with this policy. Because the license is non-exclusive, authors remain free to use, reproduce, and distribute their work without seeking additional permission from the journal, provided that the published version is accurately cited.
Copyright ownership extends to all original textual content, figures, tables, illustrations, photographs, supplementary files, datasets, graphical abstracts, and multimedia materials created by the authors unless otherwise indicated. Where a manuscript has multiple authors, copyright is jointly held by all co-authors unless another legal arrangement exists. The corresponding author confirms, on behalf of all co-authors, that every author has agreed to publication under the terms of this policy.
Where authors are employed by governmental organizations, universities, research institutes, or other institutions that have specific intellectual property requirements, authors remain responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable institutional or contractual obligations before manuscript submission. Retention of copyright allows authors to maximize the visibility, dissemination, and long-term impact of their scholarly contributions while benefiting from the advantages of immediate open access publication.
License granted to BJFR
To enable publication and long-term preservation of scholarly content, authors grant BJFR a worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to publish the accepted manuscript as the Version of Record. This license authorizes BJFR to:
- publish and distribute the article in electronic and other media;
- identify itself as the original publisher of the work;
- assign and register Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs);
- archive and preserve the article in permanent digital repositories;
- include the article in indexing and abstracting databases;
- reproduce the article for preservation, accessibility, and migration to future digital formats;
- disseminate metadata to indexing services, libraries, repositories, and discovery platforms; and
- maintain the integrity and authenticity of the scholarly record.
The license granted to BJFR does not restrict the rights retained by authors. Rather, it enables the journal to fulfil its responsibilities as the publisher of record while ensuring that the article remains permanently available to the global research community.
Open access policy
BJFR operates as a fully open access journal. All accepted articles are made freely available online immediately upon publication without embargo periods or subscription fees.
Readers may access, read, download, print, copy, distribute, and share published articles without obtaining prior permission from either the authors or the journal, provided that the terms of the applicable license are observed.
The journal believes that unrestricted access to scientific information promotes transparency, accelerates scientific progress, supports interdisciplinary collaboration, enhances educational opportunities, and increases the societal impact of research findings. Open access publication also facilitates compliance with the policies of many research funding organizations, governmental agencies, universities, and international institutions that require publicly funded research outputs to be openly accessible. BJFR is committed to ensuring the long-term preservation and accessibility of published articles through recognized archiving and indexing services so that scholarly content remains permanently discoverable and citable.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license
All articles published in BJFR are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. The CC BY 4.0 license is one of the most permissive open licenses available for scholarly publishing. It allows anyone to use published content for lawful purposes without requesting prior permission from either the authors or BJFR.
Under this license, users may:
- read and download articles without restriction;
- copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format;
- reproduce articles in printed or electronic publications;
- share articles through repositories, websites, learning management systems, or databases;
- adapt, remix, transform, and build upon the material;
- translate articles into other languages;
- combine published material with other works;
- perform text and data mining;
- use the material for educational, research, governmental, or commercial purposes.
These permissions are granted on the condition that appropriate credit is provided to the original authors, the source publication is acknowledged, the DOI is cited where available, a link to the CC BY 4.0 license is provided, and any modifications or adaptations are clearly indicated.
The license does not impose restrictions on commercial reuse, provided that attribution requirements are fulfilled. Users may therefore incorporate BJFR content into textbooks, databases, educational resources, commercial software, policy documents, or other derivative works while maintaining appropriate acknowledgement of the original publication. The CC BY 4.0 license does not diminish the moral rights of authors where such rights are recognized by applicable law.
Rights retained by authors
Authors publishing in BJFR retain extensive rights over their published work. Authors may reproduce, distribute, and publicly display their articles without requesting permission from the journal. They may deposit the published Version of Record in institutional repositories, subject repositories, personal websites, laboratory websites, and other non-exclusive digital archives immediately after publication.
Authors may also use their published work in classroom teaching, conference presentations, workshops, theses, dissertations, grant applications, technical reports, books, book chapters, review articles, and future scholarly publications. Authors are encouraged to promote their published articles through academic networking platforms, professional societies, social media, institutional communication channels, and scientific conferences to maximize visibility and citation impact. Nothing in this policy restricts authors from adapting or expanding their own work for future publications, provided that the original BJFR publication is properly acknowledged where appropriate.
Rights granted to readers and third parties
BJFR encourages the widest possible dissemination and responsible reuse of published research. Under the CC BY 4.0 license, readers, educators, researchers, policymakers, librarians, industry professionals, and other third parties may freely access and reuse published articles without requesting permission from the journal. Permitted activities include reading, downloading, printing, copying, sharing, redistributing, translating, adapting, summarizing, incorporating content into systematic reviews and meta-analyses, conducting text and data mining, and integrating material into educational or commercial resources.
Users may also create derivative works, provided that appropriate attribution is given, any modifications are clearly identified, and the reuse does not imply endorsement by the authors or BJFR. The journal encourages responsible reuse that promotes scientific advancement, educational development, innovation, and evidence-based decision-making while respecting the integrity of the scholarly record and complying with the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.
Attribution requirements
Proper attribution is a fundamental condition of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. Any individual or organization that reuses, reproduces, distributes, adapts, translates, or otherwise makes use of material published in BJFR must provide appropriate credit to the original authors and the journal. At a minimum, attribution should include:
- The name(s) of the author(s);
- The title of the article;
- The name of the journal, Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research (BJFR);
- The year of publication;
- The volume, issue, and page numbers (where applicable);
- The Digital Object Identifier (DOI), if available;
- A statement that the work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license; and
- An indication of whether any modifications, adaptations, translations, or other changes have been made.
Users must not imply that the original authors or BJFR endorse any reuse, derivative work, product, service, or interpretation unless explicit written permission has been obtained. Attribution should remain clear and visible in both digital and printed formats and should not be presented in a manner that misrepresents the original work or its authorship. Failure to provide appropriate attribution may constitute a breach of the license terms and may result in corrective action under applicable copyright law.
Third-party copyrighted materials
Authors are responsible for ensuring that all materials included in their manuscripts comply with applicable copyright laws and licensing requirements. Where a manuscript contains third-party material—including figures, photographs, illustrations, maps, diagrams, tables, questionnaires, datasets, multimedia files, or substantial extracts from previously published works—the authors must obtain written permission from the copyright holder unless the material is already available under a license that permits the intended reuse or its use is otherwise permitted by law.
Copies of permission letters or licenses may be requested by BJFR during the editorial process. The journal reserves the right to reject manuscripts or request the removal or replacement of materials for which adequate permission cannot be demonstrated. All third-party content must be clearly acknowledged in the manuscript with an appropriate credit line identifying the original source and applicable copyright or license information. Where third-party material is published under an open license, authors must comply with the attribution and reuse conditions specified by that license.
Authors should also ensure that any identifiable individuals appearing in photographs, videos, or other visual materials have provided appropriate consent where required by applicable laws and ethical standards. BJFR assumes that authors have secured all necessary permissions before submission and accepts no responsibility for copyright infringements arising from materials supplied by authors. Any legal liability associated with unauthorized use of copyrighted content remains the responsibility of the authors.
Author responsibilities
Authors are responsible for ensuring that all submitted manuscripts are original works and that they possess the necessary legal rights to publish the content. By submitting a manuscript to BJFR, authors confirm that:
- They retain the copyright or have the legal authority to publish the work.
- The manuscript does not knowingly infringe the intellectual property rights of any individual or organization.
- All borrowed materials have been appropriately cited and acknowledged.
- Written permission has been obtained for all third-party copyrighted content where required.
- All co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to publication under the CC BY 4.0 license.
- Any supplementary files, datasets, software, videos, or multimedia materials included with the submission may legally be distributed under the terms specified by the journal.
Authors should promptly notify the Editorial Office if they become aware of any copyright issue or legal concern relating to a published article. Where necessary, the journal may publish corrections, updates, expressions of concern, or retractions to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.
Publisher responsibilities
BJFR is committed to responsible scholarly publishing and to maintaining the integrity, accessibility, and permanence of the published record. The journal will:
- Publish accepted articles under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
- Clearly display copyright ownership and licensing information on each published article.
- Preserve the Version of Record through appropriate digital archiving and preservation systems.
- Register and maintain persistent identifiers, including Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs), where applicable.
- Disseminate article metadata to indexing services, repositories, and discovery platforms to maximize visibility and accessibility.
- Respect the copyright retained by authors and avoid imposing unnecessary restrictions on the lawful reuse of published content.
- Investigate allegations of copyright infringement or misuse in accordance with established editorial policies and internationally accepted ethical guidelines.
BJFR also seeks to ensure that its copyright and licensing information is transparent, accurate, and readily accessible to authors, readers, libraries, indexing services, and other stakeholders.
Copyright infringement and misuse
BJFR takes allegations of copyright infringement, unauthorized reproduction, plagiarism, and misuse of published content seriously. Any person or organization who believes that copyrighted material published in BJFR has been used improperly or that content published by the journal infringes the intellectual property rights of another party is encouraged to notify the Editorial Office in writing. Reports should include sufficient information to identify the material concerned, describe the alleged infringement, and provide supporting evidence where available. Upon receiving a complaint, the journal will conduct a fair, confidential, and evidence-based assessment. Where appropriate, BJFR may consult the authors, copyright holders, institutional representatives, legal advisers, or other relevant parties during the investigation.
If an infringement is confirmed, the journal may take one or more corrective actions, including requesting correction of attribution, removing or replacing infringing material, publishing a correction or notice, issuing an expression of concern, retracting the affected article, notifying relevant institutions or publishers, or pursuing other remedies available under applicable laws. Individuals who knowingly misuse BJFR content or falsely claim authorship of published material may also be subject to legal action by the relevant copyright holders.
Changes to copyright or license status
The copyright and licensing terms applicable to an article are established at the time of publication and form part of the permanent scholarly record. Once an article has been published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, that license cannot be revoked for existing copies or lawful uses already made under its terms. This permanence ensures legal certainty for authors, readers, libraries, repositories, and other users. BJFR may revise or update this Copyright and Licensing Policy periodically to reflect developments in publishing practices, legal requirements, or international standards. However, policy revisions will generally apply only to future submissions and publications unless otherwise required by law.
Compliance with international standards
BJFR is committed to maintaining copyright and licensing practices that are transparent, legally robust, and consistent with internationally recognized standards for scholarly publishing. This policy has been developed in accordance with the principles and recommendations of leading international organizations and initiatives, including the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Creative Commons, the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI), the Bethesda Statement on Open Access Publishing, and the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities.
BJFR supports responsible open science, ethical publishing, transparency in research dissemination, long-term digital preservation, and unrestricted lawful reuse of scholarly literature. The journal encourages authors, reviewers, editors, librarians, institutions, funding agencies, and readers to adhere to these internationally recognized principles in all aspects of scholarly communication.