Conflict of Interest Disclosure Policy
The International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Incremental Innovation (IJFAII) is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of transparency, integrity, and ethical rigor in academic publishing. To support these values, all participants in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, and editors—are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the content, interpretation, or outcome of the manuscript.

For Authors:
Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional affiliations that may affect the objectivity or integrity of their research. This includes, but is not limited to:

1. Financial Interests: Such as research funding, grants, employment, consultancy fees, stock ownership, royalties, or patent holdings related to fisheries technologies, aquatic systems, marine biotechnology, aquaculture innovation, or other relevant areas.
2. Personal Relationships: That might influence the interpretation or reporting of data or conclusions.
3. Professional Affiliations: Including board memberships, advisory roles, or consulting relationships with companies, governmental organizations, or NGOs involved in fisheries, aquatic environmental management, or marine innovation.

All conflicts of interest must be disclosed at the time of submission. A formal statement must be included in the manuscript. If there are no conflicts to declare, authors must include the following statement:
“The authors declare no conflict of interest.”

For Reviewers:
Reviewers are expected to disclose any conflicts of interest that could compromise their ability to provide an unbiased and fair evaluation of the manuscript. These may include:

1. Financial or personal relationships with any of the authors.
2. Current or recent collaborations or direct competition with the authors.
3. Institutional, commercial, or organizational affiliations relevant to the manuscript’s subject matter.

If a reviewer believes that they cannot provide an impartial review, they must promptly inform the editorial office and decline the review assignment.

For Editors:
Editors overseeing the editorial and decision-making process must disclose any conflicts of interest related to the manuscript under consideration. If an editor has a financial, professional, or personal relationship with the authors or any entities involved in the manuscript (e.g., partnerships in fisheries innovation or aquatic system development), they must withdraw from the editorial process. In such cases, the manuscript will be reassigned to an independent editor with no conflicts.

Managing Conflicts of Interest:
When a conflict of interest is identified, the International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Incremental Innovation takes the following actions:

1. Transparency: The conflict will be disclosed clearly in the published article to ensure full transparency for readers.
2. Reassignment: If necessary, the editorial or peer-review responsibilities will be reassigned to avoid bias or undue influence.
3. Ethical Oversight: The editorial board will evaluate any disclosed conflicts and ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to preserve the credibility of the publication process.

Failure to disclose a relevant conflict of interest may result in the rejection of the manuscript or the retraction of a published article. IJFAII is fully committed to preserving the objectivity, fairness, and trustworthiness of the research it publishes.

By adhering to this policy of full disclosure and transparency, the International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Incremental Innovation promotes ethical conduct and contributes to the advancement of credible, unbiased scientific knowledge in the field of fisheries and aquatic innovation.