The Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research (BJFR) is a peer-reviewed, open-access scientific journal published by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI), Bangladesh. The journal provides an international platform for the dissemination of high-quality research in fisheries, aquaculture, aquatic sciences, marine and freshwater biology, aquatic ecology, fish genetics and breeding, fish health, aquatic biotechnology, fisheries economics, seafood technology, aquatic environmental sciences, climate change, biodiversity conservation, and other related disciplines.
BJFR is committed to publishing scientifically rigorous, ethically conducted, and internationally relevant research that advances knowledge, supports evidence-based policy development, promotes sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, and contributes to the conservation and responsible management of aquatic resources.
The journal operates in accordance with internationally accepted standards of scholarly publishing and follows the recommendations and best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Council of Science Editors (CSE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and other recognized organizations promoting research integrity and ethical publishing.
Publication scope and objectives
BJFR publishes original research articles, review articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, short communications, technical notes, methodological papers, perspectives, case studies, and other scholarly contributions that advance fisheries and aquatic sciences. The journal welcomes submissions in, but not limited to, the following fields:
- Fisheries science
- Aquaculture
- Marine biology
- Freshwater biology
- Fisheries ecology
- Aquatic biodiversity
- Fish genetics and genomics
- Fish breeding
- Fish nutrition
- Fish physiology
- Fish pathology
- Aquatic animal health
- Aquatic microbiology
- Aquatic toxicology
- Aquatic biotechnology
- Fisheries oceanography
- Inland fisheries
- Coastal and estuarine ecology
- Wetland ecology
- Marine conservation
- Fisheries management
- Fisheries economics
- Seafood science and technology
- Climate change and aquatic ecosystems
- Aquatic environmental management
- Blue economy
- Aquatic resource conservation
- Fisheries policy and governance
- Related interdisciplinary research
The primary objective of the journal is to promote scientific excellence, facilitate knowledge exchange among researchers and practitioners, and support sustainable management of fisheries and aquatic resources at national, regional, and global levels.
Publication frequency
BJFR is published biannually, with two issues released each year. Articles are published after successful completion of peer review, editorial evaluation, copyediting, and production processes. The journal may also publish special issues or thematic collections when approved by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board.
Submission and publication policy
BJFR accepts manuscripts that present original, scientifically sound, and unpublished research. Manuscripts submitted to the journal must not have been published previously, either wholly or substantially, and must not be under consideration for publication by another journal or publisher. Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts comply with the journal’s Instructions for Authors and all applicable editorial policies before submission. Manuscripts originating from conference presentations may be considered only when they have been substantially revised and expanded to provide significant additional scientific contribution. Submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously is strictly prohibited. The Editorial Office reserves the right to decline manuscripts that fall outside the journal’s scope or fail to comply with editorial or ethical requirements before peer review.
Originality and duplicate publication
BJFR publishes only original scholarly work. Duplicate publication, redundant publication, self-plagiarism, salami publication, or simultaneous submission are considered unacceptable publication practices. Authors must disclose any closely related publications at the time of submission. Where duplicate publication is identified before publication, the manuscript may be rejected. If discovered after publication, the journal may issue a correction, Expression of Concern, or retraction in accordance with its Correction and Retraction Policy.
Plagiarism policy
BJFR maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards plagiarism. All submitted manuscripts are screened using recognized plagiarism detection software before peer review. Plagiarism includes direct copying, mosaic plagiarism, inadequate paraphrasing, self-plagiarism, translation plagiarism, image plagiarism, data plagiarism, idea plagiarism, and any unauthorized use of another person’s intellectual property. Although the journal generally expects similarity reports to indicate acceptable levels of textual overlap, editorial decisions are based on the nature, context, and significance of overlapping material rather than a numerical similarity score alone. Manuscripts containing unacceptable plagiarism may be rejected without external review.
Peer review policy
BJFR follows a rigorous double-blind peer review process in which the identities of authors and reviewers remain confidential throughout the review process. Each manuscript undergoes an initial editorial assessment to determine its suitability for the journal. Manuscripts that satisfy the journal’s scope, formatting requirements, and ethical standards are assigned to at least two independent experts for peer review. Reviewers evaluate manuscripts based on:
- originality;
- scientific quality;
- methodological rigor;
- statistical validity where applicable;
- ethical compliance;
- clarity of presentation;
- significance of findings; and
- relevance to the aims and scope of BJFR.
Editorial decisions are based on reviewer recommendations together with independent editorial assessment. Where manuscripts are submitted by editors or Editorial Board members, editorial responsibility is assigned to an independent editor to ensure impartiality and transparency.
Editorial decision-making
Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit and ethical considerations. Possible editorial decisions include:
- Accept.
- Minor revision.
- Major revision.
- Reject with encouragement to resubmit.
- Reject.
The Editor-in-Chief has final responsibility for all editorial decisions.
Publication timeline
BJFR aims to process manuscripts efficiently while maintaining rigorous editorial standards. The journal endeavors to communicate an initial editorial decision within approximately four to eight weeks following submission. The overall publication timeline depends on reviewer availability, the quality of submitted manuscripts, the extent of revisions required, and production scheduling. Authors are expected to submit revised manuscripts promptly to facilitate timely publication.
Authorship
Authorship is limited to individuals who have made substantial scholarly contributions to the conception, design, execution, analysis, interpretation, or writing of the manuscript.
All authors must approve the final manuscript before submission and accept responsibility for the integrity of the published work. BJFR does not permit ghost authorship, honorary authorship, gift authorship, or other inappropriate authorship practices. Requests for changes in authorship after submission require written justification and approval by the Editorial Office. Detailed requirements are provided in the journal’s Authorship Policy.
Conflicts of interest
Authors, reviewers, editors, and Editorial Board members must disclose any financial, institutional, professional, personal, or other interests that could influence—or reasonably be perceived to influence—the editorial or publication process. Individuals with significant conflicts of interest should not participate in the evaluation of affected manuscripts.
Further guidance is provided in the journal’s Conflict of Interest Policy.
Editorial responsibilities
Editors are responsible for maintaining the quality, integrity, fairness, confidentiality, and transparency of the editorial process. Editorial decisions are made independently and without discrimination based on nationality, gender, institutional affiliation, ethnicity, religion, political beliefs, or other non-scientific considerations. Editors investigate allegations of publication misconduct in accordance with the journal’s Publication Ethics Policy.
Reviewer responsibilities
Reviewers are expected to conduct objective, confidential, constructive, and timely peer review. Reviewers should evaluate manuscripts solely on scientific merit and should report suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, data manipulation, ethical concerns, or other publication misconduct to the editors. Unpublished manuscripts and associated materials must remain confidential.
Data integrity and transparency
Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and authenticity of all reported data. Fabrication, falsification, selective reporting, image manipulation, and other forms of data misconduct are strictly prohibited. The journal may request original data or supporting documentation to verify reported findings. Authors are encouraged to make supporting datasets available where appropriate and consistent with legal, ethical, and confidentiality requirements.
Publication ethics
BJFR is committed to the highest standards of publication ethics and research integrity.
The journal investigates allegations of plagiarism, duplicate publication, authorship disputes, peer review manipulation, fabricated data, image manipulation, citation manipulation, conflicts of interest, and other forms of publication misconduct in accordance with COPE guidance and the journal’s Publication Ethics Policy. Appropriate editorial actions may include manuscript rejection, publication of corrections, Expressions of Concern, retractions, or notification of relevant institutions where warranted.
Corrections and retractions
BJFR is committed to preserving the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. Where necessary, the journal may publish corrections, corrigenda, errata, addenda, Expressions of Concern, or retractions in accordance with its Correction and Retraction Policy. Retracted articles remain part of the permanent scholarly record but are clearly identified as retracted.
Copyright, open access and licensing
Authors retain the copyright to their published work while granting BJFR and the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) the right to publish, archive, preserve, index, and disseminate the article as part of the official scholarly record. BJFR follows a full open-access publishing model, making all published content freely and permanently available to readers worldwide without subscription fees or access restrictions.
All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. This license permits anyone to copy, distribute, transmit, adapt, remix, and build upon the published work for any lawful purpose, including commercial use, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s), the source is acknowledged, a link to the license is provided, and any modifications are clearly indicated. Additional information regarding the license is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Commitment to excellence
BJFR is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scientific quality, editorial independence, ethical publishing, transparency, and research integrity. Through rigorous peer review, internationally recognized publication standards, and unrestricted open access, the journal seeks to advance fisheries and aquatic sciences and to contribute meaningfully to the sustainable management, conservation, and responsible utilization of aquatic resources for the benefit of society.