NOAA TECHNICAL REPORT NMFS 
Guidelines for Contributors 
CONTENTS OF MANUSCRIPT 
First page. Give the title (as concise as possible) of the paper 
and the author’s name, and footnote the author’s affiliation, 
mailing address, and ZIP code. 
Contents. Contains the text headings and abbreviated figure 
legends and table headings. Dots should follow each entry and 
page numbers should be omitted. 
Abstract. Not to exceed one double-spaced page. Footnotes 
and literature citations do not belong in the abstract. 
Text. See also Form of the Manuscript below. Follow the 
U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual, 1973 edition. 
Fish names, follow the American Fisheries Society Special 
Publication No. 12, A List of Common and Scientific Names 
of Fishes from the United States and Canada, fourth edition, 
1980. Use short, brief, informative headings in place of 
““Materials and Methods.’’ 
Text footnotes. Type ona separate sheet from the text. For 
unpublished or some processed material, give author, year, 
title of manuscript, number of pages, and where it is filed— 
agency and its location. 
Personal communications. Cite name in text and footnote. 
Cite in footnote: John J. Jones, Fishery Biologist, Scripps In- 
stitution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA 92037, pers. com- 
mun. 21 May 1977. 
Figures. Should be self-explanatory, not requiring reference 
to the text. All figures should be cited consecutively in the text 
and their placement, where first mentioned, indicated in the 
left-hand margin of the manuscript page. Photographs and 
line drawings should be of*‘‘professional’’ quality—clear and 
balanced, and can be reduced to 42 pices for page width or to 
20 picas for a single-column width, but no more than 57 picas 
high. Photographs and line drawings should be printed on 
glossy paper—sharply focused, good contrast. Label each 
figure. DO NOT SEND original figures to the Scientific Edi- 
tor; NMFS Scientific Publications Office will request these if 
they are needed. 
Tables. Each table should start on a separate page and 
should be self-explanatory, not requiring reference to the text. 
Headings should be short but amply descriptive. Use only 
horizontal rules. Number table footnotes consecutively across 
the page from left to right in Arabic numerals; and to avoid 
confusion with powers, place them to the /eft of the numerals. 
If the original tables are typed in our format and are clean and 
legible, these tables will be reproduced as they are. In the text 
all tables should be cited consecutively and their placement, 
where first mentioned, indicated in the left-hand margin of the 
manuscript page. 
Acknowledgments. Place at the end of text. Give credit only 
to those who gave exceptional contributions and nos to those 
whose contributions are part of their normal duties. 
Literature cited. In text as: Smith and Jones (1977) or (Smith 
and Jones 1977); if more than one author, list according to 
years (€.g., Smith 1936; Jones et al 1975; Doe 1977). All pa- 
pers referred to in the text should be listed alphabetically by 
the senior author’s surname under the heading ‘‘Literature 
Cited’’; only the author’s surname and initials are required in 
the author line. The author is responsible for the accuracy of 
the literature citations. Abbreviations of names of periodicals 
and serials should conform to Biological Abstracts List of Ser- 
ials with Title Abbreviations. Format, see recent SSRF or Cir- 
cular. 
Abbreviations and symbols. Common ones, suchas mm, m, 
g, ml, mg, °C (for Celsius), %, °/oo, etc., should be used. Ab- 
breviate units of measures only when used with numerals; 
periods are rarely used in these abbreviations. But periods are 
used in et al., vs., e.g., i.e., Wash. (WA is used only with ZIP 
code), etc. Abbreviations are acceptable in tables and figures 
where there is lack of space. 
Measurements. Should be given in metric units. Other equi- 
valent units may be given in parentheses. 
FORM OF THE MANUSCRIPT 
Original of the manuscript should be typed double-spaced on 
white bond paper. Triple space above headings. Send good du- 
plicated copies of manuscript rather than carbon copies. The 
sequence of the material should be: 
FIRST PAGE 
CONTENTS 
ABSTRACT 
TEXT 
LITERATURE CITED 
TEXT FOOTNOTES 
APPENDIX 
TABLES (provide headings, including *‘Table’’ and Arabic 
numeral, e.g., Table 1.—, Table 2.—, etc.) 
LIST OF FIGURE LEGENDS (entire legend, including 
‘Figure’? and Arabic numeral, e.g., Figure 1.—, Figure 
2.—, etc.) 
FIGURES 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 
Send ribbon copy and two duplicated copies of the manuscript 
to: 
Dr. William J. Richards, Scientific Editor 
Southeast Fisheries Center Miami Laboratory 
National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA 
75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL 33149 
Copies. Fifty copies will be supplied to the senior author and 
100 to his organization free of charge. 
