Publication of a paper in a symposium or workshop proceedings can jeopardize subsequent publication of the same material in a front-line scientific or technical journal. However, some coverage of the work in a proceedings provides a record of participation and facilitates later communication among people with shared interests. An often-acceptable compromise between publication and communication imperatives is an “extended abstract” for the proceedings.

The American Fisheries Society has strict policies about dual publication. For its own journals and books, however, AFS will not penalize authors for previously published extended abstracts that satisfy the following guidelines.

• The text part of the abstract should not exceed 1,000 words (about 3-4 times the length of a typical journal abstract).
• Data displays should not exceed two elements (two tables, two figures, or one of each) in addition to text. Each display should itself be a summary, containing no more information than necessary to illustrate the conclusions.
• Literature citations should not exceed six. (The reference section will not count as text.)
• Methodologies (including statistical methods) and site descriptions should be limited to the minimum necessary for an understanding of the study’s design.
• Conclusions should be limited to the study’s main outcomes.

Authors who are uncertain of having met these guidelines may fax a draft abstract to the AFS Editorial Office (301-897-8096) for advice.