The International Conferences on Fisheries and Marine Sciences (INCOFIMS) and Biotechnology and Food Sciences (INCOBIFS) 2025 fully adopt the ethical standards and principles set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). In line with our mission to facilitate high‑impact, internationally refereed research dissemination, we are committed to a clear, responsible, and transparent collaboration with partner journals.

1. Ethical Oversight & Division of Responsibilities
   All manuscripts selected from the conference are submitted to partner journals for full peer‑review processing. INCOFIMS‑INCOBIFS only screen abstracts and nominate ~20–30 full papers; we do not take part in peer review or editorial decisions after journal submission. Full ethical and editorial authority rests with the journals.
2. Editorial Independence & Journal Autonomy
   Partner journals retain complete control over their editorial workflow, including reviewer selection, review model (double‑blind, single‑blind, or open review), publication scheduling, and licensing (e.g., CC BY, CC BY‑SA). Papers may appear in either special or regular issues at each journal’s discretion.
3. Authorship & Contribution Transparency
   Authors must list all significant contributors, disclose funding and conflicts of interest, and agree to the final version for publication. Guest, gift, or ghost authorship is strictly prohibited.
4. Plagiarism & Research Integrity
   Submissions must be original. The Conference Committee screens with Turnitin, and journals may repeat checks. Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data, images, or references leads to immediate rejection by both conference and journal.
5. Peer‑Review Process & Confidentiality
   Each journal appoints at least two independent international reviewers and follows COPE‑aligned peer‑review models. Reviews remain confidential; identities are disclosed only in an open‑review policy.
6. Research Involving Humans, Animals, or GMOs
   Studies involving humans, animals, or genetically modified organisms require prior ethics approval. Authors must upload documentation during journal submission.
7. Copyright, Licensing & Open Access
   Copyright transfer or open‑license agreements are completed directly between authors and journals. INCOFIMS‑INCOBIFS do not intervene in licensing terms.
8. Article Processing Charges (APC)
   APCs are set and invoiced by journals. The conference does not charge publication fees or collect APCs on their behalf.
9. Corrections, Retractions & Post‑Publication Ethics
   Partner journals manage all post‑publication updates (corrections, retractions, expressions of concern) under their own policies and COPE guidelines. Authors must cooperate fully if issues arise.
10. Complaint Handling
    Ethical concerns or grievances follow the procedures of the respective journal. INCOFIMS‑INCOBIFS will support information flow but will not override journal decisions.
11. Data Sharing & Transparency
    Authors are encouraged to deposit datasets, code, and supplementary files in trusted repositories or journal platforms to enhance reproducibility.
12. Preprint & Prior Dissemination
    Authors must disclose any previous dissemination (e.g., preprints, conference posters). Journals decide on acceptability per their policies.
13. Dual‑Use & Sensitive Research
    Manuscripts with potential dual‑use implications must be flagged by authors and will receive extra ethical scrutiny following COPE and publisher guidance.
14. AI Use Disclosure
    Authors must declare any use of generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) for drafting, translation, or analysis, consistent with journal policies and transparency principles.

Stakeholder Ethical Duties

🟦 Conference Committee

• Screen abstracts and full papers for thematic relevance and academic rigor.
• Verify originality using plagiarism tools.
• Nominate ±20–30 top manuscripts for journal submission.
• Maintain transparent communication and never influence journal editorial decisions.
• Provide accurate information on the publication workflow and refrain from implying guaranteed publication.

🟩 Authors

• Submit only original work and avoid redundant publication.
• Disclose all contributions, funding, conflicts of interest, and required ethics approvals.
• Upload manuscripts to the journal OJS after conference nomination.
• Respond promptly and constructively to reviewer/editor requests.
• Sign copyright or open‑license agreements and all ethical declarations.

🟥 Editors (Journal Editorial Teams)

• Ensure objectivity, fairness, and transparency in every editorial decision.
• Preserve manuscript and reviewer confidentiality.
• Manage complaints or misconduct allegations per COPE flow‑charts.
• Define and apply the chosen peer‑review model.
• Safeguard editorial independence throughout the process.

🟧 Reviewers

• Provide constructive, objective, and timely evaluations.
• Maintain strict confidentiality; do not exploit content for personal gain.
• Declare any conflicts of interest and decline reviews if necessary.
• Adhere to journal deadlines and ethical review standards.

📘 Outcome

This framework delivers a transparent, ethical, and journal‑driven publication pipeline whereby:

• The Conference Committee facilitates early screening and quality control.
• Partner journals exercise full editorial autonomy from peer review to final publication.
• Authors benefit from a fair pathway to high‑impact visibility under international ethical standards.
• All stakeholders align with COPE principles to promote trustworthy scholarly communication.

Document last updated: July 06, 2025- Rozi