Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Title	Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Discipline	Fisheries science; Aquatic biology; Limnology; Oceanography
Language	English, French
Abbreviation	Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.
Publisher	National Research Council Canada
Country	Canada
History	1943–present
Frequency	Monthly
Issn	0706-652X

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research on freshwater and marine fisheries, aquatic ecology, and related management. Established in the mid-20th century, it publishes original research, reviews, and technical notes relevant to practitioners and scholars in fields from fisheries biology to oceanography. The journal serves as a nexus among researchers affiliated with institutions such as the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, National Research Council (Canada), and universities across Canada and internationally.

History

The journal traces its origins to wartime and postwar scientific consolidation and is rooted in earlier periodicals and bulletins produced by organizations including the Biological Board of Canada, Fisheries Research Board of Canada, and federal laboratories in Ottawa, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Vancouver. Its early editorial leadership included scientists who had affiliations with the University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of Toronto, and research programs linked to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada). Over successive decades the title, production, and distribution evolved alongside institutional changes such as the creation of the National Research Council (Canada) and policy shifts during administrations like the Trudeau ministry and the Mulroney ministry that affected Canadian science funding. The journal has chronicled major events in fisheries science including research on stocks affected by the Cod moratorium, 1992 and ecological responses following the North Atlantic Oscillation, while publishing work by researchers associated with the Atlantic Fisheries Research Laboratory and the Pacific Biological Station.

Scope and content

The journal covers empirical and theoretical studies in fields represented by departments and institutes such as the Department of Biology, McGill University, Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Dalhousie University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Simon Fraser University, University of Alberta, University of Guelph, Université Laval, and international centers like the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Typical subjects include population dynamics, stock assessment, aquaculture, limnology, marine trophic ecology, reproductive biology, fisheries management models, and conservation biology. Article types span original research, systematic reviews, methods papers, and policy-relevant analyses citing frameworks used by organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization, Convention on Biological Diversity, and regional management bodies including the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization.

Editorial policies and peer review

Editorial oversight has involved editorial boards drawing members from institutions like the University of British Columbia, McMaster University, Université de Montréal, University of Washington, Oregon State University, and agencies such as Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the United States National Marine Fisheries Service. The journal traditionally implements single- or double-blind peer review processes with reviewers recruited from communities linked to societies and organizations including the Canadian Aquatic Resources Section and the American Fisheries Society. Ethical policies align with standards invoked by bodies like the Committee on Publication Ethics, and data-availability expectations mirror practices at repositories such as the Ocean Biogeographic Information System, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and institutional archives at universities like Dalhousie University and Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Publication details and access

Published monthly by the National Research Council (Canada), the journal historically issued print volumes distributed through library networks including the Library and Archives Canada and major university libraries at University of Toronto and McGill University. Contemporary distribution encompasses electronic access through platforms used by consortia such as the Canadian Research Knowledge Network and university subscriptions at institutions including University of British Columbia and Université Laval. Authors include researchers affiliated with bodies like the Atlantic Salmon Federation, Pew Charitable Trusts-funded studies, and international collaborators from the European Commission research programs. The journal’s indexing and archiving practices intersect with services provided by entities such as the Digital Object Identifier system and national library preservation initiatives.

Abstracting and indexing

The journal is indexed in major bibliographic and citation databases and services including those operated by the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science, the Scopus platform by Elsevier, the Chemical Abstracts Service, and discipline-specific indexes used by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Libraries catalogue issues within systems maintained by the Library of Congress, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, and aggregate metadata into discovery services run by the Canadian Research Knowledge Network and international aggregators used by the European Marine Board community.

Impact and reception

Scholarly reception of the journal is evidenced by citation metrics tracked by corporations such as Clarivate Analytics and Elsevier and by its use in policy analyses by agencies like Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Food and Agriculture Organization, and regional management bodies including the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Influential articles have informed debates around events and issues such as the Cod moratorium, 1992, recovery plans influenced by the Convention on Biological Diversity targets, and ecosystem-based management approaches promoted by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. The journal remains a central outlet for researchers from universities and agencies including University of British Columbia, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dalhousie University, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and international partners at institutions such as the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Category:Fisheries journals Category:Academic journals established in 1943 Category:Canadian scientific journals