ICCAT SCRS Collective Volume Formatting Guidelines

Introduction

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) maintains the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics (SCRS) to coordinate scientific activities related to Atlantic tuna and tuna-like species. The SCRS produces an annual Collective Volume of Scientific Papers, which serves as a comprehensive technical resource for fisheries managers, scientists, and policymakers. This document outlines the formatting requirements for manuscripts submitted to the Collective Volume to ensure consistency, readability, and professional presentation.

Manuscript Preparation

General Requirements

Manuscripts should be submitted in English and prepared using word processing software capable of producing editable files. Documents must be formatted as follows:

• Times New Roman or Arial font, size 11 or 12
• 1.5 line spacing or double spacing
• 2.5 cm margins on all sides
• All pages numbered consecutively
• Maximum length of 20 pages (excluding references, tables, and figures)

Title Page

Include the following elements on the title page:

• Title (concise but descriptive, limited to 20 words)
• All authors' full names
• Author affiliations (institution, city, country)
• ICCAT Species Number or Category
• SCRS Working Group (if applicable)
• Keywords (3-6 terms, separated by semicolons)
• Corresponding author details (email address)

Structure

Papers should generally follow this structure:

1. Abstract (maximum 300 words)
2. Introduction
3. Materials and Methods
4. Results
5. Discussion
6. References

Additional sections such as Acknowledgments or Appendices may be included as appropriate.

Headings and Subheadings

Use a clear hierarchical system of headings:

• Level 1: CENTERED, UPPERCASE, BOLD
• Level 2: Left-aligned, Title Case, Bold
• Level 3: Left-aligned, Title Case, Bold, Italic

Tables

Tables must be submitted in editable format (Excel preferred) and follow these guidelines:

• Numbered consecutively (Table 1, Table 2, etc.)
• Provide a concise, descriptive caption above each table
• Use horizontal lines only to separate title, column headings, and footnotes
• Avoid vertical lines within the table
• Define all abbreviations in footnotes
• Do not embed tables as images

Figures

Figures should be submitted separately from the main document and adhere to these specifications:

• Numbered consecutively (Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.)
• Provide a descriptive caption below each figure
• Minimum resolution of 300 dpi at final size
• Preferred formats: EPS, AI, PDF (vector graphics) or TIFF (bitmap)
• Avoid JPEG for scientific figures due to compression artifacts
• Include scale bars where appropriate
• Legible text at final reduction size (no smaller than 8pt)

Units and Measurements

Use the International System of Units (SI) throughout:

• Report lengths as centimeters or meters
• Report weights as kilograms or grams
• Report temperatures as degrees Celsius
• Use decimal notation (not fractions)
• Separate thousands with commas and decimals with points

Species Names and Taxonomy

Scientific names of species must be italicized and include authorities at first mention:

• First mention: Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Subsequent mentions: T. thynnus
• Include ICCAT species codes where appropriate
• When reporting multiple species, provide a list of scientific names and authorities in an appendix

Statistical Reporting

Report statistical results clearly and completely:

• State the statistical test used
• Provide test statistics, degrees of freedom, and p-values
• Include confidence intervals for parameter estimates
• Indicate sample sizes for all statistical analyses
• Round statistics to appropriate precision (typically two decimal places)

Citations and References

In-Text Citations

Use the author-year system:

• Single author: (Smith 2020)
• Two authors: (Smith and Jones 2020)
• Three or more authors: (Smith et al. 2020)
• Multiple citations: (Smith 2020; Jones 2021)
• Personal communications: (J. Smith, pers. comm.)

Reference List

Arrange alphabetically by first author's surname:

Journal articles: Smith, A.B. 2020. Title of article. Journal of Fisheries Science, 25(3): 123-135.

Books: Jones, C.D. 2019. Fisheries Management Techniques. Academic Press, New York, 320 pp.

Reports: ICCAT. 2021. Report of the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics. ICCAT Collective Volume of Scientific Papers, 78(1): 1-350.

Book chapters: Brown, E.F. and Green, G.H. 2020. Chapter title. In A.B. Smith (ed.), Book Title (pp. 45-67). Wiley, Hoboken.

Geographical Data

When reporting geographical locations or sampling areas:

• Provide coordinates as decimal degrees (e.g., 36.12N, 5.43W)
• Specify the geographic reference system (e.g., WGS84)
• Include maps showing the study area if relevant
• Use standardized names for oceanographic regions and subareas

Mathematical Equations

Present equations clearly with the following guidelines:

• Center equations on separate lines
• Number equations consecutively with parentheses on the right margin
• Define all variables immediately after the equation
• Use standard mathematical notation and symbols

Data Availability Statement

Include a statement regarding data accessibility, such as:

"Data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and its supplementary information. Raw data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request."

Electronic Submission

Manuscripts must be submitted through the ICCAT online submission system with the following requirements:

• Include a cover letter summarizing the paper's contribution and stating that it has not been published elsewhere
• Provide all files (main document, tables, figures) as separate documents
• Ensure all author details are current and complete
• Specify the appropriate SCRS Working Group for evaluation

Special ICCAT Considerations

• For stock assessment papers, include stock assessment model code and input data as supplementary material
• Coordinate with appropriate ICCAT Working Group Chairs before submission
• Follow any species-specific reporting guidelines outlined by the relevant Working Group
• Reference previous ICCAT work on the same species or stock where relevant

Conclusion

These formatting guidelines are intended to ensure clarity, consistency, and proper presentation of scientific work in the ICCAT SCRS Collective Volume. Authors are encouraged to review recent volumes of the Collective Volume for additional examples of properly formatted papers. For specific questions beyond these general guidelines, please contact the SCRS Secretariat for guidance before submission.