ICES Journal of Marine Science

ICES Journal of Marine Science
Title	ICES Journal of Marine Science
Discipline	Marine science
Abbreviation	ICES J. Mar. Sci.
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Country	United Kingdom
Frequency	Monthly
History	1926–present
Impact	3.4
Impact-year	2023

ICES Journal of Marine Science is a peer-reviewed scientific journal publishing original research on marine and estuarine sciences, with emphasis on fisheries, ecosystems, and oceanography. The journal, associated with the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, serves a readership spanning academic institutions, national research councils, and international organizations involved in marine policy and resource management. Contributions frequently address interactions among species, habitats, climate drivers, and human uses across regional seas and global ocean basins.

History

The journal was established in 1926 under the auspices of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, emerging during an era marked by interwar collaborations such as the League of Nations scientific initiatives and the expansion of national bodies like the U.S. Fish Commission and the Bureau of Fisheries. Early volumes documented surveys connected to expeditions like the Discovery Investigations, contributions from institutions including the University of Copenhagen and the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, and policy-relevant assessments informing treaties such as the North Atlantic Fisheries Convention. Over successive decades the journal reflected developments in oceanography tied to advances from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, methodological innovations paralleling work at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, and governance debates involving the European Commission and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Scope and Content

The journal covers empirical and modeling studies relevant to marine ecology, fisheries science, oceanography, and conservation, engaging with topics central to organizations like the International Maritime Organization and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Articles integrate approaches from laboratories such as the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, field programs akin to the Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey, and long-term observations comparable to the Plymouth Marine Laboratory time-series. Interdisciplinary content connects to climate studies at institutions like the Met Office Hadley Centre, biogeochemical research conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, and socioecological assessments relevant to the United Nations Environment Programme. The journal publishes research on species and systems studied by groups working on Atlantic cod, herring, salmon, kelp forests, coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and large-scale phenomena such as the North Atlantic Oscillation and El Niño–Southern Oscillation.

Editorial and Publication Details

Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, the journal operates under an editorial board drawn from universities and research institutes including the University of Bergen, University of Southampton, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, IGFS (Imperial?) Clarify — avoid linking generic and national agencies such as the Institute of Marine Research (Norway). The editor-in-chief role has been held by scholars affiliated with centers like the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and the Institute of Ocean Sciences. The journal follows peer-review policies aligned with publishing standards promoted by organizations like the Committee on Publication Ethics and offers options for open access in line with mandates from funders such as the European Research Council and national research councils including the Natural Environment Research Council. Publication frequency is monthly with special issues and themed sections organized in collaboration with conferences such as the ICES Annual Science Conference and symposia co-sponsored by bodies like the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Abstracting and Indexing

ICES Journal of Marine Science is indexed in major databases used by researchers at institutions like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Smithsonian Institution, and the European Space Agency for oceanographic remote sensing. Abstracting services include listings similar to those maintained by Web of Science, Scopus, and subject indexes compiled by libraries such as the British Library and the Library of Congress. The journal’s articles are discoverable through aggregators used by academic consortia like JSTOR and digital repositories associated with universities including Harvard University, University of Oxford, and University of California campuses.

Impact and Reception

The journal is recognized within communities of practice associated with the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, national fisheries agencies such as Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and research programs like the Global Ocean Observing System for contributions that influence stock assessments, ecosystem-based management, and marine spatial planning. Its citation metrics have reflected trends documented by bibliometric analysts at organizations like the Leiden University Centre for Science and Technology Studies and the Institute for Scientific Information, and it is frequently cited alongside journals such as Marine Ecology Progress Series, Limnology and Oceanography, and Progress in Oceanography. Reviews and editorials in the journal have spurred debates mirrored in policy fora including meetings of the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission and panels convened by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Notable Articles and Special Issues

Notable contributions include foundational papers on population dynamics of Gadus morhua and life-history syntheses relevant to Anadromous fish management, methodological advances in stock assessment linked to models used by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea working groups, and interdisciplinary syntheses on climate impacts comparable to reports produced by the IPCC Working Group II. Special issues have addressed topics paralleling global initiatives such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, large-scale responses to phenomena like Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, and collections derived from conferences hosted by the European Marine Board and the Society for Marine Mammalogy. Seminal papers have been authored by researchers affiliated with the Scottish Association for Marine Science, Institute of Marine Research (Norway), National Oceanography Centre (UK), and universities including University of British Columbia and Stockholm University.

Category:Oceanography journals