These regulations aim to govern research ethics and publication ethics for manuscripts submitted to or published in the Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (hereinafter "the Journal"), thereby ensuring the integrity and fairness of research, promoting awareness of research ethics, and contributing to the advancement of fisheries science.

1) Matters related to research ethics for the Journal shall be handled by the Research Ethics Committee (REC) established in accordance with Article 13 of the Research Ethics Regulations of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (KOSFAS).
2) The composition and operation of the REC shall follow the Research Ethics Regulations of KOSFAS.

1) The REC has the authority to conduct a thorough investigation of reported ethical violations by obtaining information from informants, respondents, witnesses, references, and relevant evidence.
2) The REC shall review the findings of its investigation regarding ethical violations and appropriate sanctions, and shall report the results to the Editorial Board.

1) Authors, reviewers, editors, and readers who identify potential ethical violations should request corrective action from the involved parties and seek to resolve the matter.
2) If the problem is not resolved or a clear violation is identified, the matter may be reported to the REC.
3) The REC shall not disclose the identity of the informant externally.

1) The REC shall deliberate and issue a decision within 60 days from the date of receipt of the report. The Chair may extend the review period if unavoidable circumstances arise. (Revised 11 June 2026)
2) When deemed necessary, the Chair may appoint external experts to provide consultation or conduct a review. (Revised 11 June 2026)
3) Individuals subject to investigation shall cooperate fully with the REC. (Revised 11 June 2026)

1) Individuals accused of violating research ethics shall be given sufficient opportunity to present explanations.
2) The identity of the accused shall not be disclosed until a final disciplinary decision is made.

1) In cases where plagiarism is confirmed, the severity of sanctions shall be determined from among one or more of the following measures (Items 2–9).
2) Deletion of the published article.
3) Prohibition from manuscript submission for a minimum of three years.
4) Notification of the plagiarism to the affiliated institution of the involved author(s).
5) Public disclosure and permanent record of the article’s retraction and the reason for retraction.
6) Announcement of the violation on the Society’s website and in the Journal.
7) Notification of the incident and its details to relevant national research foundations or administrative bodies.
8) In cases involving research funded by external agencies, notification of the details to the funding institution.
9) If a reviewer commits unethical conduct, the individual may be excluded from future reviewer appointments.

Individuals designated as authors must meet all of the following criteria:
1) Made a substantial contribution to the conception and design of the study, or to data acquisition, analysis, or interpretation.
2) Drafted the manuscript or revised it critically for important intellectual content.
3) Approved the final version prior to publication.
4) Agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring accuracy and integrity.

If the study involves experimental animals, authors must state that all procedures adhered to the ethical guidelines of their institutional Animal Ethics Committee.
1) Studies involving human sensory evaluation or animal experiments (including mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and birds) must obtain approval from an accredited institutional committee on bioethics or animal experimentation.

Authors must not improperly use the ideas, terminology, data, or intellectual property of others without clear attribution. Even when cited, extensive verbatim copying or replication of ideas without originality constitutes misconduct.
Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, inappropriate authorship, and duplicate publication.
1) Fabrication: Making up data or results that do not exist.
2) Falsification: Manipulating research materials, processes, or data to distort research results.
3) Plagiarism: Using another’s protected work, ideas, hypotheses, or results without proper approval or citation, and presenting them as one’s own.
4) Inappropriate authorship: Excluding individuals who made substantial scholarly contributions or including individuals who did not make such contributions.
5) Duplicate publication: Republishing substantially identical work in another journal without informing the editorial board or readers of its prior publication.

The following principles apply to the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies during manuscript preparation and publication:
1) Authors who use generative AI or AI-assisted technologies during manuscript preparation must transparently disclose such use.
2) Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies must not be used to replace scholarly judgment, draw scientific conclusions, or generate the core ideas of a study.
3) Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies cannot hold authorship or co-authorship. Final responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the research, as well as the review and publication process, rests with the human author(s).

1) "Co-authors with special relationships" refers to cases in which an author involves a minor (a person aged 19 or younger) or a family member (spouse, child, or relative within the fourth degree of kinship) in the research or jointly authors a manuscript with such individuals.
2) Researchers must notify the Editorial Board of such circumstances prior to manuscript submission and must comply with generally applicable research ethics regulations regarding collaborative research and co-authorship with persons in special relationships.
3) The Editorial Board or the REC may request the submission of relevant materials or conduct a separate review to verify the appropriateness of authorship, the extent of research participation, and the level of contribution for manuscripts involving co-authors with special relationships.
4) When submitting a manuscript involving a co-author with a special relationship, the corresponding author must submit to the Editorial Board a prior consent form confirming the special relationship status and authorizing the provision and use of personal information.
5) If research misconduct involving a co-author with a special relationship is confirmed, the Ethics Committee shall be convened to initiate disciplinary procedures, and the relevant institution(s) that may have benefited from the published work (e.g., schools related to admission or academic advancement, research-affiliated institutions) shall be notified of the misconduct.

1) The corresponding author must declare all potential conflicts of interest related to the submitted manuscript. Potential conflicts of interest must be reported even if the author believes they did not influence the manuscript.
2) Any of the following circumstances may be considered a conflict of interest:
① Financial relationships (employment, consulting, stock ownership, honoraria, paid expert testimony, etc.)
② Personal relationships
③ Academic competition related to the research outcomes
④ Intellectual or academic interests related to the research results or scholarly positions
3) The Editorial Board may exclude or replace a reviewer or editor if it determines that a conflict of interest may affect the objectivity or fairness of the review.

1) Matters not specified in these regulations shall follow the Research Ethics Regulations of KOSFAS. (Revised 11 June 2026).
2) Matters not specified in these regulations shall conform to relevant laws and customary academic practices.
3) If research misconduct is confirmed, all costs incurred during manuscript submission and review will not be refunded.

These regulations shall take effect on September 1, 2025.

These regulations shall take effect on June 11, 2026.