This is the fourth birthday of the European Journal of Phycology, and also the beginning of my fourth year as editor-in-chief. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the previous editor, Dr Roger Jones, for setting up the present structure of the journal and for initiating the present happy relationship with our publishers, Cambridge University Press. The first term of office for the Associate Editors has now ended, and many thanks are due to all of them for their contributions to the journal. We are very fortunate in that most of the Associate Editors have been able to continue in their posts, and that those retiring have been replaced by distinguished new editors. The important work done by editorial board members, new, retired and continuing, is also much appreciated. Communication between the editorial team and authors is being facilitated by wider use of e-mail and the journal now includes e-mail addresses for authors who supply them. Current instructions to authors are now available on the CUP world wide web site (see address inside journal back cover), and the contents of each issue will appear on the web site two weeks before publication.