Analysis of the factors influencing the fishing impact zone for the longline toothfish fishery

This paper examines fishery data collected by Russian scientific observers on longline vessels that fished toothfish using Spanish longline and trotlines in CCAMLR and adjacent Atlantic waters during the 2002-2017 fishing seasons. The factors influencing the longline fishing impact zone    are discussed in this paper.  It is shown that the existing approach to the definition of "fishing impact zone" is aimed at determining the impact of fishing on the bottom. This is primarily important for assessing the risk areas where fishing can impact on VMEs.  However, the assessment of the CPUE, the understanding of the fish size composition in the catches requires an expanded understanding of the term "fishing impact zone". It should include both the interaction of the longline with the bottom, and the presence of a bait smell field that attracts fish to the longline.