Marine Science Journal Prices:A Case Study

Approximately 350 English-language journals in the interdisciplinary field of marine science are published. Two decades of steeply rising prices have forced the cancellation of journal subscriptions in this and all other scientific, technical and medical areas. Two groups of marine science titles, one of fifty titles, and one of fourteen are analyzed for price increases between 1997 and 2003. Within the larger context of escalating journal prices in all scientific fields, the marine science journals have increased in price approximately 71% during this period, while general science titles have increased 34%. Promising attempts to alleviate the situation must be expanded to avert the end result of a breakdown in scientific communication.