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Editorial report2001 was an exceptionally good year for the New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research (NZJMFR). A new Editorial Advisory Board was formed and strategies for the future development of the journal considered. A very high number of papers were submitted and an extra issue was published to facilitate prompt publication. Editorial Advisory BoardEditorial Advisory Boards support, enhance, and assist the publication of research in scientific journals. NZJMFR had an Editorial Advisory Board from when the journal was established in 1967 up until 1991 when the journal was transferred to the Royal Society (from the DSIR) and the Editorial Advisory Board was disbanded. Finally, after 10 years, I have great pleasure to announce that the Editorial Advisory Board has been re-established!! Members were selected from nominations provided by the main research institutions that provide papers for the journal and also by the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society and New Zealand Limnological Society. The Editorial Advisory Board will function in the same way as it did in the past and provide the opportunity for the journal to better meet the needs of the scientific community that it serves. Board members will also be expected to solicit and provide publishable content as well as promote the journal by representing its interests. The Editorial Advisory Board, effective from 1 January 2002, is as follows:
It is possible that additional Board members may be appointed in 2002 to cover any disciplines that are not adequately represented. Papers submitted in 2001Ninety-five new submissions were received in 2001. New Zealand researchers submitted 80% of these and the main sources were: National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (42%); universities (23%); other government agencies (8%); and private institutions (7%). Overseas researchers submitted 20% of the papers and these were from: South America (8%); Australia (3%); Asia (3%); Europe; North America; and Central America. The subject areas of the new submissions were: freshwater environment (51%) and marine environment (49%). Papers were refereed by c. 180 researchers from: North America (31%); New Zealand (28%); Australia (22%); Europe (17%); and elsewhere (2%). In 2001, researchers were emailed requests to referee papers and the manuscripts then posted out (sometimes emailed) once referees agreed to provide reports within an agreed timeframe. Overall this has shortened the time taken to have papers refereed for the journal and provides a better service to authors. The rejection rate is currently 11% (the average for the last 3 years). Papers published in 2001Volume 35 comprises 90 scientific papers printed over 1087 pages in five journal issues. The extra issue (a real bonus for subscribers!!) was published in attempt to reduce the queue of papers accepted for publication. A special section on New Zealand fiords was published in Volume 35 number 4. This features some full papers and all abstracts of papers presented at the 1999 New Zealand Marine Sciences Society Conference: "New Zealand fiords: researching, managing and conserving a unique ecosystem". This section includes research on the hydrography, the low salinity layer, primary production, nutrients, whales and dolphins, fishes, corals, rock lobsters, sea urchins, brittlestars, and algae of Fiordland, New Zealand. In 2001 the average time from submission of a paper to acceptance was 21 weeks and the average time from acceptance to publication was 35 weeks. Authors may be interested to know that one paper was accepted only 31 days after submission (after international refereeing and then revision by the author)-this just goes to show that good papers can be accepted promptly! Journal productionIn July 2001, Liz Stone was appointed as Production Editor, NZJMFR, to handle the production stages of papers accepted for publication. I'm sure that authors have already noticed a more efficient processing of proofs and consistent editing for journal style. In 2001, three typesetters worked on NZJMFR: Ruth Munro, Robert Lomas, and Marian Jefferies. I thank all members of the Production team for their contribution to the high quality of the journal. Outlook for 2002Editorial Advisory Board members will be considering the future development and improvement of the journal. As there is every indication that the high submission rate will continue in 2002, we will need to carefully consider increasing the number of issues published per year so that papers can be published promptly. Although the journal is abstracted widely, there is a need to increase the distribution of the journal worldwide. We will need to consider strategies for increasing the readership and subscription base by inviting review articles, soliciting papers on "hot topics", and continuing to publish thematic issues or "special sections". We are also in the process of making the journal available in electronic, in addition to printed, form. Abstracts are currently accessible from the journal webpage (http://www.rsnz.org/publish/nzjmfr/) and PDF files of papers published in 2002 will also be available on the Internet. I encourage readers to subscribe to our "early alert" service (sign up at: http://www.rsnz.org/directory/elist.php) to receive email notification of papers published. Wide promotion of our electronic services will play an important role in increasing the distribution of the research results published in the journal. Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to the NZJMFR in 2001-authors, referees, and readers. I look forward to working with you all in 2002 and having an even greater year!!
Sandra Stanislawek 15 February 2002
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