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Author Guidelines

The Journal of the Blue Economy & Sustainable Energy Development (JBESED) publishes high-quality, peer-reviewed research on the sustainable use, governance, and management of ocean, coastal, and inland water resources. The journal welcomes original research, reviews, policy-relevant studies, and technical reports that advance knowledge, innovation, and practice in marine and aquatic sustainability.

Authors are expected to adhere to these guidelines to ensure efficient manuscript processing, ethical compliance, and global discoverability.

1. Types of Articles Accepted

JBESED publishes the following article types:

·         Original Research Articles: Full-length reports presenting novel research, methods, or findings.

·         Review Articles: Comprehensive, critical syntheses of current research or policy developments.

·         Policy and Perspective Articles: Analyses of governance, management, or economic strategies in the blue economy.

·         Technical Reports or Case Studies: Applied research or project-based studies illustrating innovative approaches or lessons learned.

·         Short Communications: Brief reports of significant findings that warrant rapid dissemination.

2. Manuscript Preparation

General Formatting

·         Manuscripts should be written in UK English, clear, concise, and free of jargon.

·         Use Times New Roman, 12 pt, double-spaced text with 1-inch margins.

·         Pages must be numbered sequentially, including references, tables, and figures.

·         Submit in Word (.doc/.docx) or LaTeX formats.

Structure

A typical manuscript should include:

1.      Title Page

o    Title of the manuscript

o    Full names, affiliations, and ORCID iDs of all authors

o    Corresponding author’s email

o    Acknowledgements, funding, and conflict-of-interest statements

2.      Abstract

o    150–250 words summarising objectives, methods, results, and conclusions

o    Include 4–6 keywords

3.      Introduction

o    Background, research problem, rationale, and study objectives

4.      Materials and Methods

o    Detailed methodology sufficient for replication

o    Include ethical approvals for human, animal, or environmental research

5.      Results

o    Present findings clearly with tables, figures, and statistics as appropriate

6.      Discussion

o    Interpret results in the context of previous literature and policy implications

7.      Conclusions

o    Key findings, relevance to the blue economy, and potential applications

8.      References

o    Use Harvard referencing style consistently

o    Include DOIs for all articles where available

9.      Supplementary Material (optional)

o    Additional datasets, figures, tables, videos, or protocols

3. Figures and Tables

·         Number all figures and tables consecutively and provide clear captions.

·         Figures should be high-resolution (≥300 dpi) and in TIFF, PNG, or JPEG format.

·         Colour figures are encouraged; colour reproduction is free in online publication.

·         Supplementary material may be submitted as separate files.

4. Ethical Standards

·         Manuscripts must adhere to JBESED Research Ethics and Integrity Policies.

·         Ethical approval is required for studies involving humans, animals, or sensitive ecosystems.

·         Plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or duplicate publication is strictly prohibited.

·         Authors must disclose conflicts of interest and funding sources.

5. Data and Open Science Requirements

·         Authors are encouraged to follow FAIR principles for data management.

·         Include a Data Availability Statement describing data accessibility or restrictions.

·         Provide sufficient methodological and technical detail to enable reproducibility.

·         Share code, software, and protocols when possible via repositories such as GitHub, Zenodo, Figshare, or Dryad.

6. Reporting Standards

Authors should follow appropriate reporting guidelines:

·         CONSORT: Controlled experiments

·         PRISMA: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses

·         STROBE: Observational or field studies

·         ARRIVE: Experimental or model-based studies

·         Discipline-specific standards for CFD, hydrodynamics, structural testing, aquaculture, or ecosystem modelling

Where applicable, completed checklists should be submitted with the manuscript.

7. Preprints, Conference Proceedings, and AI Use

·         Prior preprints or conference presentations are acceptable if disclosed and cited.

·         Submissions must contain substantial new content and not be previously peer-reviewed.

·         Authors must disclose any AI tools used for writing, analysis, simulation, or visualisation.

·         AI cannot be listed as an author; human authors retain full responsibility.

8. Submission Process

·         Manuscripts must be submitted via the JBESED online submission system.

·         The corresponding author is responsible for all communication with the journal.

·         Ensure all authors meet authorship criteria and have approved the final manuscript.

9. Peer Review

·         JBESED uses a double-blind peer review process.

·         Manuscripts are evaluated for originality, scientific quality, relevance, and policy impact.

·         Authors may be required to revise manuscripts in response to reviewer comments.

10. Open Access, Copyright, and Licensing

·         All articles are open access under CC BY-NC 4.0.

·         Authors retain copyright, and JBESED holds the right of first publication.

·         Commercial reuse requires prior written permission.

·         Articles are assigned DOIs and archived via LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, and institutional repositories.

11. Article Processing Charges (APCs)

·         APCs cover editorial processing, peer review, digital preservation, and open access.

·         Fees are charged only after acceptance; there are no submission fees.

·         Waivers or discounts are available for authors from low- and middle-income countries or in cases of financial hardship.

·         Revenue from APCs, advertising, or sponsorship does not influence editorial decisions.

12. Contact Information

For queries regarding submission, ethics, or data policies, authors may contact: editorialmatters@nimenajournals.org