The Journal of Environment and Aquatic Resources (JEAR) is an open-access journal. This means that all published content is freely available to anyone, anywhere in the world, without the need for subscription or paywall access.

We invite authors to submit original research articles, extension papers, reviews, short notes/communications, and policy notes reports that contribute to the understanding and management of terrestrial and aquatic environments. In addition, the inclusion of educational strategies and product value-adding demonstrates the practical applicability, community relevance, and socio-economic impact of human, environmental and aquatic research—key themes for JEAR’s mission of bridging science and community development.

An original research paper is a scholarly article that presents new and data-based findings derived from the author’s own fieldwork, experiments, or community-based initiatives in environmental and aquatic contexts. For studies focusing on educational strategies or product value-adding, the paper should demonstrate a rigorous assessment of learning outcomes, knowledge uptake, behavior change, or economic and livelihood impacts related to training, extension, or technology adoption. It must offer a clear methodology, evidence-based analysis, and practical implications for improving sustainability, resource utilization, or community well-being, including but not limited to coastal and aquatic environments.

An extension paper is an applied research output or a development-focused scholarly work that bridges academic knowledge and community engagement. When preparing an extension paper, it should be clarified whether the focus is more descriptive (leaning toward a technical note or case report) or analytical (suited for an original research paper). Either way, it should be ensured that it's framed with objectives, methods, outcomes, and relevance to human, environmental, or aquatic resource management.

A review paper provides a critical synthesis of existing literature on topics relevant to environmental, aquatic, or coastal resource management. It may take the form of a narrative review, offering thematic insights and expert interpretation, or a systematic review, using defined criteria to analyze and summarize published evidence. Review papers should identify knowledge gaps, highlight trends, and propose directions for future research or practice, especially in areas such as sustainability education, community engagement, or innovations in resource use and value-adding.

A short note or communication reports initial results, novel approaches, methodological advancements, or field observations that are immediately pertinent to environmental and aquatic research. Usually succinct but educational, these papers highlight new concepts, test findings, or useful insights that might not yet be worthy of a full-length article. Updates on educational interventions, value-adding strategies, or community-based projects may also be included in brief communications, so long as they offer fresh viewpoints or answers to pressing institutional development, sustainability, and resource management issues.

Key research findings and their implications for policy and decision-making in the context of environmental, aquatic, or coastal resource management are presented in a focused, evidence-based article called a policy brief. A concise synopsis of the problem, pertinent information or analysis, and practical suggestions suited for legislators, program administrators, or community leaders should all be included. Policy briefs are particularly useful when they convert research on subjects like livelihood enhancement, education tactics, or innovations that add value into practical recommendations that promote resource conservation, governance, or sustainable development.

Original research paper
The manuscript should have a Title page (with the title, authors’ names, affiliations, contact details, and email of the corresponding author), Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results and Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendations, Authors’ Contribution, Acknowledgements, and Literature Cited. For a Social Science paper, there should be a Conceptual Framework after Introduction. The manuscript should be 15-20 pages, double-spaced (equivalent to 7-10 pages after layout).

Extension paper
An extension paper should follow this format: Title page, Abstract, Introduction, Conceptual Framework, Methodology, Results and Discussion, Impact and Sustainability, Conclusion and Recommendations, Authors’ Contributions, Acknowledgements, and Literature Cited. Target word count is 3,000 to 5,000 words (excluding references and supplementary materials). Page count is approximately 10 to 15 double-spaced pages, A4 size, using 12-point Times New Roman font.

Review Paper
A review paper should include a Title Page, followed by an Abstract. The main body begins with an Introduction that outlines the background, significance, and objectives of the review. For systematic reviews, a Methodology section should describe the search strategy, inclusion/exclusion criteria, and data analysis approach, while narrative reviews may briefly explain how the literature was selected and organized. The core of the paper should be structured into thematic sections that synthesize and critically analyze the literature. A section on Knowledge Gaps and Future Directions should identify inconsistencies or underexplored areas, followed by a Conclusion and Recommendations that summarize key insights and their implications for research, policy, or practice. The paper should also include an Authors’ Contributions section describing each author's role, an Acknowledgments section, and a Literature Cited section following the journal’s citation style. Short reviews could be 3,000 to 5,000 words, while full-length and/or systematic reviews could be 5,000 to 12,000 words. Submission is by invitation from the Editor-in-Chief; however, authors may also express their interest in submitting.

Short Note/Communication
A Short Note or Communication would generally consist of the following elements: a Title that summarizes the main message; an Introduction summarizing the context or reason; a Main Text that delivers the essential findings, observations, or news—usually integrating methods, results, and discussion within a single tale; and a Conclusion or Closing Comment that emphasizes the implications or importance. It also sometimes contains Acknowledgments and References, but in general, the format is concise, dedicated, and eschews much background or methodological detail characteristic of full articles.

Policy Brief
A well-structured policy brief should be organized with the following components: Title, describing the problem clearly; Executive Summary, providing a brief overview of the issue, suggested policy, and main recommendations; Background or Context, presenting the required information and setting up the problem; Policy Problem or Issue, describing the particular challenge or deficit the policy has been developed to solve; Policy Options or Alternatives, presenting potential courses of action and their advantages and disadvantages; Recommendations, offering clear, evidence-based steps; and a Conclusion, recapping the brief's highlights and affirming the call to action. Optional sections can be Implications, Stakeholder Analysis, or References for the sake of credibility. Figures, tables, and other visuals are optional but preferred to help clarify key points.

It should be prepared between 1,500 to 4,000 words. Given their concise nature, policy notes usually focus on presenting a clear, actionable issue, policy recommendations, and supporting evidence, without extensive background or data analysis like in research articles.

Authors must first express their intention to publish to the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of the journal. This ensures that the topic aligns with the journal’s scope and current editorial focus. Alternatively, policy notes may be submitted by invitation only. In such cases, the EIC or a guest editor will extend an invitation to authors whose expertise aligns with current journal themes or special issues.

General Document Format
All manuscript submissions must be typewritten, double-spaced, and printed on one side of A4-sized white bond paper, with 2.5 cm (1 inch) margins on all sides, using 12-point Times New Roman font. The first line of each paragraph should be indented by 0.5 inches, and the main text should be justified between the margins. Major headings must be capitalized and centered, while second-level headings should be bold and aligned to the left. Use a hanging indent of 0.5 inches for entries in the Literature Cited section. Ensure that the manuscript is concise, consistently formatted (e.g., spelling, abbreviations), and that pages are numbered consecutively (located at the lower center of each page). Line numbers must also be included throughout the document.

If the paper includes supplementary material, it must be cited within the text and accompanied by a corresponding entry in a designated Supplementary Material section. Examples of in-text citations include: “Detailed survey data are provided in Supplementary Table S1.” or “See Supplementary Figure S2 for the full training module outline.”

A title page should be provided with the title, short running title, list of authors’ names, institute or laboratory of origin, telephone and fax number, and/or e-mail address of the corresponding author.

An abstract should be written in no more than 250 words and include at least six relevant keywords for indexing.

The complete scientific name (genus, species, and authority) should be cited for every organism when first mentioned. Subsequently, the generic name should be abbreviated to the initial except where intervening references to other genera would confuse. Latin names should be typed in italic script or underlined.

Authors are required to use the International System of Units (SI) for exact measures of physical quantities. Do not use space between numbers and units, e.g., 10g, 15%, 25mm, 120cm, 120ml. Be consistent in the number of decimals used. The numbers one to ten should be spelled out if not followed by a unit. For numbers higher than ten, numerals should be used. Only at the start of a sentence should all numbers be spelled out.

Tables, figures, and/or plates

Tables, figures, and/or plates are to be placed after the Literature Cited. In preparing tables, plates (all photographs) and figures (illustrations, graphs, diagrams), consider the journals printed page of 18.0 x 26.0cm and the necessary reduction. Place all tables, figures and plates at the end of the manuscript. Start with the tables, followed by figures and plates. Each table, as well as computerized figures and plates should be typed on a separate page, numbered with Arabic numerals, and accompanied by a title and explanation caption at the top. Full details should be given so that the table/figure/plate can be understood without reference to the text. Type legends left bound, bold, justified. In the captions, spell the words figure, table and plate out. E.g. Figure 1. Increase in weight from January to December 2004. Abbreviate the words table and figure in the reference to it. E.g. Animals grew much faster in the first half of the year (Fig. 1). Data must not be presented in both tabular and graphical form. Original (non-computerized) figures such as hand-drawn illustrations, graphs or diagrams, should be numbered consecutively and submitted on separate sheets, and marked on the reverse with the figure number, author’s name and brief title in soft pencil. Copies of the figures for the referees should be numbered on the front. Type legends of original figures or plates on a separate page. The publisher reserves the right to reduce or enlarge figures. Photographs (plates) should be submitted in jpg format. They should be of good contrast and well matched for tonal range. Arrows, letters and numbers should be inserted. Micrographs should have an internal calibration bar and the magnification should be mounted together in the form of not numerically but economically arranged layouts. Color (micro) photographs are allowed provided that the author is willing to cover the cost of reproduction. If authors wish to have original illustrations returned after publication they should specify when submitting their paper. The approximate desired position of all figures, plates, and tables should be indicated at the margins or in the text, e.g. Insert Figure 1 here.

Citation and Literature cited

The Journal of Environment and Aquatic Resources follows the APA Citation 7th Edition (https://apastyle.apa.org/). The Literature Cited should consist of articles published in current content-covered or peer-reviewed journals. Citations of unpublished reports should be minimized. Articles “in press” may be cited but those “submitted” or “in preparation” should not be included. Pers. Comm. should only be in the text but not be in the list of literature cited.

General Formatting

Line Spacing: Double-spaced throughout, including references. Margins: 1 inch on all sides.

Page Numbers: Top-right corner of every page.

Include the complete citation at the end of your paper in a references section. References are organized by the author's last name in alphabetic (A-Z) order. Use a hanging indent to separate each list item.


Follow the standard form of citation as below:
●    In-text Citations

When you reference another source use an in-text citation in the body of your paper.

Basic Format:

(Author’s Last Name(s) or Organization, Year).

Summarizing or Paraphrasing

Include the last name of the author(s) and the year of the publication.

Example:
According to Shavers (2007), limitations of studying socioeconomic status in research on health disparities include difficulties in collecting data on socioeconomic status and the complications of classifying women, children, and employment status.

●    Direct Quotes

Example:
● According to Brown (2019), "Direct quote" (p. 1021).
● Brown (2019) found that "Direct quote" (p. 1021).
● [Some other introduction] "Direct quote" (Brown, 2019, p. 1021).

When citing a work with:

1 Author:
(Kiroquero, 2015)
2 Authors:
(De Guzman & Quiñones, 2021)
3 or More Authors:
(Arriesgado et al., 2023)
Group Authors:
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019)
(Then all subsequent citations: (CDC, 2019))

● Journal Article

Basic Format:
Author(s). Year. Title of the article (Only the first word of the title and subtitle and proper nouns are
capitalized). Title of the Journal (Italicize and capitalize each word in the journal). Volume (Italicize
the journal volume). Issue. Page range (If there is no page range within the journal volume/issue, this
can be excluded). DOI (Digital Object Identifier).

Examples:
Curay, R. E., Dadole, R. C., Sabilla, R. G., Navarro, V. R., & Uba, K. I. N. (2024). Anesthetic efficacy of
lavender and lemongrass essential oils in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, i-Excel strain) Fry.
Journal of Environment and Aquatic Resources, Volume 7, 63–76.
https://doi.org/10.48031/msunjear.2024.07.04

Leopardas, V. E., Quiñones, M. B., Calala, L. R., Manulat, S. L., Dela Rosa, H. R. T., Nob, C. J. R., Empron, J.
L. G., Natingga, K. G. Notes on the reproductive traits of Holothuria fuscogilva Cherbonnier, 1980
from Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. Journal of Environment and Aquatic Resources,
Volume 6, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.48031/msunjear.2021.06.01

● Online News/Magazine Article

Basic Format:
Author(s). Year, Month, Date. Title of the article (Only the first word of the title and subtitle and proper nouns
are capitalized). Title of the online newspaper or publication (Capitalize each word in the publication
and italicize). URL.

Example: Abanes, E. M. (2024, July 14). The future of TVL programs in public schools. The Philippine Daily Inquirer.
https://www.inquirer.net/tvl-future-public-schools

● Book

Basic Format:
Author(s). Year. Title of the book. Edition. Publisher.

Example:
Primavera, J. H., Sadaba, R. B., Lebata, M. J. H. L., & Altamirano, J. P. (2004). Handbook of mangroves in the
Philippines – Panay. Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department

● Book Chapter with Editor(s)

Basic Format:
Author(s). Year. Title of the chapter. In Editor(s). Title of the book. Page range(s). Publisher

Example:
Mendoza, M. E. T. (2019). The gendered impacts of climate change. In M. W. Rosegrant & M. A. Sombilla
(Eds.), The future of Philippine agriculture under a changing climate (pp. 260–277). ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute.

● Web Page

Basic Format:
Author(s) (If there is no author, spell out the name of the organization or site). Year, Month, Date. Title of page or
section (Italicize the title of the page). Source (Usually the official name of the website. If the source would be the same as the author, you can omit the source to avoid repetition). URL.

Example:
Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (2023, November 18). National greening program: An
overview. https://www.denr.gov.ph/index.php/programs-projects/ngp

● Online Report

Basic Format:
Author(s). Year, Month, Date. Title of the report of document (For works that stand alone (e.g. books, reports),
italicize the title. Only capitalize the first word of the title and subtitle and any proper nouns). Source. URL

Example:

WWWF Philippines. (2022, May 17). Climate risk assessment for coastal communities in the Philippines. World
Wide Fund for Nature International. https://wwf.org.ph/climate-risk-coastal-report.pdf

● Dissertation or Thesis

Basic Format:
Author. Year, Month, Date. Title of the dissertation or thesis [Doctoral dissertation or Master’s thesis, Name of University]. Source. URL.

Example:

Dolorosa, R.G. 2005. Biology of three species of mangrove-associated porcellanid crabs (Porcellanidae:
Petrolisthes) in Puerto Princesa Bay, Palawan, Philippines. MS thesis in Marine Biology, Graduate
School, Western Philippines University, Aborlan, Palawan, Philippines, 111 pp.

Matillano, J.D. 2003. The ichthyofauna of Lake Manguao, Taytay, Palawan, Philippine. BS thesis in Aquatic
Biology, State Polytechnic College of Palawan-Puerto Princesa Campus, Palawan, Philippines, 82 pp.


AUTHORS’ CONTRIBUTIONS

Before the Acknowledgements and Literature Cited is the “Authors’ Contributions” section. See example below:

J.D. conceptualized the study and secured funding. M.L. and R.K. conducted the fieldwork and collected data. M.L. performed statistical analyses. All authors contributed to manuscript writing and approved the final version.

All submissions will be emailed to the Editor-in-Chief at [email protected] together with a cover letter. Key points to include in the letter to the EIC are the following: name of the current EIC, title of the manuscript, name of the journal you are submitting to, statement that the paper has not been previously published and is not currently under consideration by another journal, brief description of the research you are reporting in your paper, why it is important, and why you think the readers of the journal would be interested in it, contact information for you and all co-authors (full name and email address), full name and email address of 2 target reviewers, information on ethical guidelines related to the research, including obtaining necessary approvals (e.g., ethics committee approval for studies involving humans or animals), and confirmation that you have no competing interests to disclose.

Files should be sent in both a WORD processor format and a PDF file. The cover letter should be signed by the corresponding author and emailed together with the manuscript in PDF form. Ideally, all co-authors must be included as recipients in the email when submitting the manuscript. However, the editor-in-chief will send emails to co-authors to confirm authorship. Submissions will be considered final and locked for revisions or follow-ups three days after the date of submission. Please note that an online submission system is currently being developed to streamline the submission and peer review process—watch out for updates in future announcements.

PEER REVIEW
JEAR will use a double-blind review process. With this, the authors' and the reviewers' identities are hidden to avoid any bias and maintain impartiality. After submission, the manuscript is initially reviewed by the editor to check its relevance and quality before it is distributed to two or more self-assured experts in the same field. These reviewers comment on the work for its originality, methodological rigor, clarity, and relevance, offering constructive criticism and a recommendation (accept, revise, or reject). Authors receive anonymized reviewer comments and are expected to revise accordingly if requested to make revisions. Decisions are made by the editor, based on the reviewers' reports and the quality of any revisions submitted. See the flowchart below for more details on the flow of the publishing process from submission to acceptance and posting. Ideally, the review and editorial process will take up to three months from submission to publication in JEAR, depending on the completeness of the submission and the responsiveness of authors and reviewers.

The Journal of Environment and Aquatic Resources is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing practices. Authors are expected to adhere to ethical guidelines throughout the research and publication process. The following are considered forms of publication malpractice and are strictly prohibited:

● Plagiarism and AI Usage
The Journal of Environment and Aquatic Resources (JEAR) is committed to ensuring the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. This includes addressing issues related to plagiarism and the use of AI-generated content. JEAR allows a maximum of 10% similarity in submitted manuscripts, with plagiarism checks conducted at both the initial submission and after revisions, before publication by the Editorial Board.

● Conflict of interest
The Journal of Environment and Aquatic Resources (JEAR) is committed to maintaining a transparent, fair, and ethical publication process. Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional conflicts of interest that may influence the manuscript’s content. If a dispute arises at any stage of the publication process, the first step should be for the involved parties to contact the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) directly. The EIC may ask for clarification or additional information to understand the issue fully and to mediate the dispute.

● Citation Manipulation
Authors must avoid including unnecessary or irrelevant citations with the intent to artificially increase the number of citations to a particular author, article, or journal. Such practices are considered unethical and may result in rejection of the manuscript or other appropriate actions

● Human and Animal Rights
Information regarding ethical guidelines for studies involving human participants or animals, and a requirement for institutional approval should be provided during submission of manuscript for initial review.

● Data Sharing through Supplementary Material
The Journal of Environment and Aquatic Resources (JEAR) encourages authors to provide raw data or supplementary materials and disclose the policy on data availability. These materials like datasets, videos, or supplementary files will be submitted as separate file/s.

All submitted manuscripts are subject to plagiarism checks. If malpractice is suspected, the editorial board will initiate an investigation. Proven cases of ethical violations will result in:

● Immediate rejection of the manuscript or retraction if already published
● Notification to the authors’ affiliated institution(s)
● Possible banning of the author(s) from future submissions

Authors are required to affirm that their manuscript is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under review in another journal.

AUTHORSHIP
To ensure that all authors meet appropriate academic and ethical standards, the following criteria should be met to qualify for authorship:

1. All authors must have significant contributions to the conception or design of the work, or to the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data. This could include developing the research question, formulating hypotheses, or outlining the methodology.

2. All authors must have a significant contribution to Data Acquisition, Analysis, or Interpretation. They must work with research instruments, collecting data from experiments, or performing data analysis and statistical evaluations.

3. The authors must participate in drafting the manuscript or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content.. This includes contributing to the structure, writing, and revising the scientific content of the manuscript.

4. All authors must approve the final version of the manuscript before it is submitted for publication. This ensures that the manuscript accurately reflects their contributions and scientific integrity.

5. All authors must have to be able to take responsibility for the entire work, including ensuring the accuracy and integrity of all parts of the manuscript. They should be able to answer questions regarding the research and address any issues related to its validity.

6. Authors should comply with ethical guidelines related to the research, including obtaining necessary approvals (e.g., ethics committee approval for studies involving humans or animals). All authors should disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to the research.

7. Individuals who contributed to the work but do not meet the above criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in the acknowledgment section of the manuscript. This may include technical support, funding sources, or others who contributed to the research in a non-authorial capacity.

The corresponding author is responsible for communicating with the journal during the submission and peer-review process. This individual should ensure that all authors are included in correspondence and that all manuscript versions are approved. JEAR allows a maximum of two corresponding authors, especially if the research was a collaborative effort between two institutions, or if both authors played an equally significant role in managing the paper’s submission and communication with the journal.

Withdrawal of Manuscript
Authors have the right to withdraw their manuscript at any point in the review process before formal acceptance. If a withdrawal is to be made, the corresponding author should write to the editorial office, and give the reason for the withdrawal. After a manuscript is accepted for publication, withdrawal is not permitted except in unusual situations, and any such action will be reviewed by the editors. Unethical or unauthorized withdrawal after acceptance can be reported to the authors' institutions and could lead to restriction of future submissions.

Post-Publication Corrections and Updates
To preserve the integrity and reliability of the scholarly record, the journal is making provision for post-publication updates as follows:

Erratum: Published when a considerable mistake has been discovered in an article published by the journal arising from the editorial or production process (e.g., typographical errors, figure misplacement, formatting errors that impact interpretation). The correction will be published as a standalone notice with an link to the original article.

Corrigendum: Published when authors realize a mistake in their paper that does not change the general results but requires explanation (e.g., mislabeled data, author addresses, small facts). The corrigendum must be supplied by the corresponding author and will be considered by the editorial team before publication.

Retraction: Used when a published paper is discovered to have significant errors, unethical behavior, plagiarism, or fabricated data that undermine the study's validity. The Editor-in-Chief decides in consultation with the editorial board and, if needed, the publisher. A notice of retraction will be issued and will be associated with the original article.

Addendum: Employed where significant information was left out of the initial article that plays an important role in comprehending the work. This is issued individually and conspicuously marked as an addendum.

Authors and readers are urged to immediately report to the editorial office if they see any possible errors or issues in published work. All corrections will be done openly and according to accepted and/or standard publication ethics guidelines.

TRANSFER OF COPYRIGHT
By transferring copyright, the author(s) retain the right to reuse the content of this work in future projects, such as lectures, press releases, and reviews, with proper acknowledgment of its prior publication in the journal and attribution to the publisher, Mindanao State University at Naawan. However, the publisher (JEAR) grants the author(s) the right to make photocopies of the work for personal distribution.

Publishing schedule, Print Publication, and Author Copies
The Journal on Environment and Aquatic Resources (JEAR) follows an annual publishing schedule, with one volume released each year. This volume compiles all peer-reviewed and accepted articles within the calendar year. Articles are published online on a rolling basis, meaning they may be released in any month within the year upon completion of the review and editorial process. In addition to online publication, JEAR produces at least one printed volume annually (last quarter of the year). Each corresponding author will receive one complimentary printed copy of the annual volume in which their article appears. This printed copy serves as a formal record and acknowledgment of the author's contribution. Additional printed copies or individual article reprints may be requested for a fee (see Reprints section for details).

Reprints
Authors can order reprint of their articles upon publication in JEAR. Printed reprints are on request and will be chargeable based on the following conditions:

Standard rate: ₱120 per copy (black-and-white, standard paper)

Color print: Fees for color pages have to be paid; the number of pages and copies will determine this

Minimum number of copies: 20

Shipping is payable by the author(s) and depends on location and courier option.

Reprint requests should be requested at the time of acceptance of the manuscript or within two weeks following publication. Reprints will be dispatched within 2–3 weeks from final processing. For bulk or institutional orders: contact the editorial office for a personalized quote.