Taylor & Francis
Prepare your manuscript for African Journal of Aquatic Science.
Review the checklist, choose your article type, and turn your draft into a cleaner submission package.
Checked 2026-08-01
Article types
Review
Data Note
Review Article
Editorial
Lectio
Systematic Review
Letter
Readiness requirements
Review the key details below, or download the complete checklist with every stored source-backed requirement.
Abstract length
- Include or confirm the abstract length required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.
Reference style
- Articlo formats your supplied references to the journal's stored style and checks that citations match the reference list; source validity is not verified.
- Where applicable, this should include the hyperlink, DOI or other persistent identifier associated with the data set(s).
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- A declaration must be included within the submission stating: Confirmation the authors take full responsibility for the integrity of the whole content, including accuracy of references.
Figure and table rules
- Keep every figure and table numbered, captioned, and cited in the manuscript.
Funding statement
- You should declare only the acquired funds and grants that are directly relevant to the work reported in your article; for example, This work was supported by the [Funding Agency #1] under Grant [number xxxx]; [Funding Agency #2] under Grant [number xxxx]; and [Funding Agency #3] under Grant [number xxxx].
- Non-members who do not have access to funding to cover the publication costs may apply to the Editor-in-Chief to have their page charges waived.
Competing interests
- Include or confirm the competing interests required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.
Data availability statement
- Data Note: Add or confirm the author-written Data availability statement; Articlo flags it if author input is still needed.
- Data Note: Further to the data sharing policy for the journal, Data Note submissions must include a data availability statement and describe data available via a repository.
Ethics statement
- Include or confirm the ethics statement required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.
Cover letter
- Include or confirm the cover letter required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.
Author contributions
- Submitting authors should be prepared to submit CRediT roles for themselves and their co-authors (where applicable) as part of the submission process.
Article structure and word limits
- Review: Contributions should be a maximum of 2 500 words for Short Notes, 3 000 for Data Notes and 7 500 words for Research Papers, but Review articles of up to 12 000 words will be considered for publication.
- Review: These instructions will ensure we have everything required so your paper can move through peer review, production and publication smoothly.
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- Editorial: Correspondence relating to editorial matters should be emailed to the Editorial Office at ajas.office@nisc.co.za.
- Your research funder or your institution may require you to publish your article open access.
- Use our APC finder to view the APC for this journal.
- Details of collection permits from appropriate local/national authorities are required if collections are within nature conservation areas, including marine habitats.
- If the submission is from a country where no such permitting and clearance is required, a statement to this effect must be included.
- A declaration must be included within the submission stating: Originality and accuracy of content has been confirmed by the authors.
- Authors must provide full methodological details and adhere to relevant reporting guidelines where applicable.
- Authors must retain the original and revised versions which must be shared upon request.
- The PLSP guidelines for authors must be followed at all times.
- Editorial: Irrespective of the availability of the permits and clearances, the editorial team of African Journal of Aquatic Science reserves the right to reject papers on ethical grounds should valid concerns emerge from the contents of the research paper.
Reporting guidelines
- Include or confirm the reporting guidelines required by the journal. Articlo checks this item and flags anything that still needs author input.
Artificial intelligence disclosure
- Add or confirm the author-written Artificial intelligence statement; Articlo flags it if author input is still needed.
- Please include a statement disclosing whether and how generative AI has been used in the research and manuscript preparation process.
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- Use of AI tools as part of ethical research studies is permitted.
- A declaration must be included within the submission stating: The name and version number of the AI tool used.
- Systematic Review: Use of AI tools as part of ethically conducted literature reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis and bibliometrics studies is permitted.
- Use of AI tool assisted plain language summaries (PLS) of authors own work is permitted.
- Please read our guidance on using AI tools in your research and manuscript preparation to understand scenarios where their use may be permissible, and the required information that must be disclosed.
- A declaration must be included within the submission stating: Confirmation the authors have checked terms of use for the specific AI tool used, and therefore confirm suitability for publication.
Study reporting guidelines
- Authors must provide full methodological details and adhere to relevant reporting guidelines where applicable (e.g. CONSORT-AI, STARD-AI, GAMER, TRIPOD-AI, etc).
Manuscript structure
- Authors must retain full records of the methods undertaken, including full descriptions and records of the prompts used, which must be shared with the journal upon request.
What your package checks
Paper: 12,000 words
Declarations: Artificial intelligence
Source transparency
This preparation guide uses published journal-specific author requirements. Journal instructions can change, so authors should complete a final review before submission.
Open official guideline source