Journal profile · Multiple
Marine Policy
ISSN 0308-597X · eISSN 1872-9460 · Elsevier
Marine Policy: CAS Zone 2 · Sociology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.8; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,260; review about 189 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); 357 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Marine Policy is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 2 of Sociology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Coastal and Marine Management, Marine and fisheries research and Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies, together about 48.8% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Marine Policy is the leading journal of ocean policy studies. Submissions to Marine Policy must contribute to the formulation and understanding of marine policy, and must be of interest to a broad audience of academics, stakeholders and officials. Marine Policy offers researchers, analysts, stakeholders and policy-makers a unique combination of analyses in the principal social science disciplines relevant to the formulation of marine policy. Articles represent perspectives from fields such as marine affairs, marine economics and resource management, political science, marine science, human ecology, international law, geography, normative theory, anthropology and similar disciplines. Focal areas include, but are not limited to: international, regional and national marine policies; institutional arrangements for the management and regulation of marine activities; conflict resolution; marine pollution and environment; conservation and use of marine resources.We are not a technical journal and will recommend that overly-technical papers are transferred to other more relevant journals. We will consider policy papers that do include a technical analysis, but only if this directly informs a policy analysis or discussion. We request that authors minimise the inclusion of formulas and model details needed to explain the methods and analysis in the main text. Detailed formulae and calculations should be included in an appendix or supplementary materials, and summarised in the main text.Submissions to Marine Policy must include a cover letter that briefly describes the background for the paper and its significance for marine policy formulation and understanding. The cover letter should also note any related work that may be publicly available, such as a Doctoral or Masters thesis, institutional report, etc, so as to avoid any misunderstandings regarding plagiarism. The cover letter should also note any ethics processes and considerations if your study included field research, human research (i.e interviews, quantitative or qualitative surveys, ethnographic observations etc) or animal research.The submission must include an abstract of approximately 250 words that is self-contained and readable on its own. The abstract should describe the key content areas, the purpose of the research, its relevance or importance for policy formulation and understanding, the methodology, and the main outcomes. Abstracts should also include the key terms that a potential researcher may use to search. Abstracts allow editors, reviewers and readers to assess whether the paper is relevant to their purpose, and are important to search engines.Regular features of Marine Policy include research reports, conference reports and reports on current developments to keep readers up-to-date with the latest developments and research in ocean affairs.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Editor-in-chief Sebastián VillasantePublisher website
Editorial board by country: 8 in mainland China (about 10%); most named United Kingdom 15, United States 13, Australia 11, Canada 9, Mainland China 8 (83 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Coastal and Marine ManagementEnvironmental Science18.6%
- Marine and fisheries researchEnvironmental Science16.1%
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems StudiesEnvironmental Science14.1%
- International Maritime Law IssuesEnvironmental Science9.9%
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture StudiesEnvironmental Science7.7%
- Arctic and Russian Policy StudiesSocial Sciences5.1%
- Maritime Security and HistorySocial Sciences2.8%
- Marine animal studies overviewEnvironmental Science2.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Sociology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Studies | Zone 3 |
| Minor | International Relations | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Sociology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Studies | Zone 3 |
| Minor | International Relations | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Sociology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Studies | Zone 3 |
| Minor | International Relations | Zone 3 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.8LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.9Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 8.7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 8.7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.28LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.53LetPub ·
- h-index
- 166OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 4,744OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 4.79OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 7.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 43.79%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 319LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 8,171 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 199 | 128 | 76 |
| 2025 | 357 | 186 | 1,102 |
| 2024 | 482 | 247 | 3,791 |
| 2023 | 442 | 229 | 5,952 |
| 2022 | 444 | 213 | 8,839 |
| 2021 | 469 | 216 | 12,010 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
189 dayssubmission to acceptance
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Submission to first decision
- 5 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 82 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 189 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 8 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,260 / EUR 3,990 / GBP 3,410 / JPY 528,370 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,420 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers2, by deadline
Publisher websiteWhat to prepare9 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 6,000 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Templates
- LaTeX
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted9, with length limits
- book reviewShort Communication: 1500-2500 wordsShort communications provide a brief analysis and commentary that may not be suitable for a full length article, normally be…main text ≤ 1,500 words
- commentaryShort Communication: 1500-2500 wordsShort communications provide a brief analysis and commentary that may not be suitable for a full length article, normally be…main text ≤ 2,500 words
- conference reportShort Communication: 1500-2500 wordsShort communications provide a brief analysis and commentary that may not be suitable for a full length article, normally be…main text ≤ 1,500 words
- conference reportsConference Reports: 1000-1500 words excluding abstract, references, acknowledgements, etc.Length not stated
- current developments in marine policy and treatiesCurrent Developments in Marine Policy and Treaties: 1000-1500 wordsLength not stated
- emerging studiesEmerging Studies: 2000-3000 wordsLength not stated
- full length articleFull length article: 4000-6000 wordsLength not stated
- reviewShort Communication: 1500-2500 wordsShort communications provide a brief analysis and commentary that may not be suitable for a full length article, normally be…Length not stated
- short communicationShort Communication: 1500-2500 wordsShort communications provide a brief analysis and commentary that may not be suitable for a full length article, normally be…main text ≤ 2,500 words
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Double anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a double anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- ISSN
- 0308-597X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1872-9460
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Marine Policy
What CAS zone is Marine Policy in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Marine Policy is in Zone 2 of Sociology, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Environmental Studies / International Relations. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Sociology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Marine Policy?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.8; CiteScore 8.7, h-index 166.
How long does peer review take at Marine Policy?
The publisher reports about 189 days (submission to acceptance). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Marine Policy?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 6,000 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Templates: LaTeX; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Marine Policy based?
Of the 83 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 8 (about 10%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (15), United States (13) and Australia (11). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Marine Policy?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Marine Policy is indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Is Marine Policy open access, and what is the APC?
Marine Policy is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,260.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .