This Is Where Wicked Tuna Is Filmed
Ever since "Wicked Tuna" launched on the National Geographic Channel in 2012, viewers have watched fishermen chase down one of the most sought-after fish in the world: bluefin tuna. Like any good reality show, the stakes are high and some outsized personalities are on hand in pursuit of bragging rights. However, the cast of "Wicked Tuna" is there to get paid, and all it takes is 20 or so fish per season for the captains to have successful year. Making the experience even more interesting is the show's commitment to using sustainable, low-impact fishing practices such as hand-reels and harpoons to catch the critically endangered species, via the Center for American Progress.
So where did the National Geographic Channel go to find so many skilled, fearless, and committed fishermen dedicated to catching the world's most valuable fish the right way? Believe it or not, all the action in the show occurs in and around one small New England city — this is where "Wicked Tuna" is filmed.
Wicked Tuna is filmed in Gloucester, Massachusetts
"Wicked Tuna" is firmly entrenched in the community in which it is filmed: Gloucester, Massachusetts. Gloucester's story is tied to the Atlantic Ocean — the George Clooney disaster film "The Perfect Storm" was set and filmed there — and the National Geographic Channel's reality show has helped bring that relationship to the attention of viewers worldwide. Many of the boats that are featured on the show dock at Gloucester's Cape Ann Marina, according to the Cape Ann Marina Resort. This means that fans can who choose to stay in the resort can actually watch the boats, and their camera crews, get ready to head out — they may even run into them around the dock. Pontoonopedia has even tracked down the locations where some of the other boats docked, locating Hard Merchandise and The Falcon's home base near the Gloucester House Restaurant in the Gloucester Art District.
Of course, most of the action goes down on the ocean surrounding Gloucester, where embedded camera crews will spend up to 80 days on the water covering their assigned boats, according to Field and Stream. Any fans who want to see where the show really gets filmed should look into some of the charters available during the off-season, such as those offered by the FV-TUNA.COM — one of the original boats on "Wicked Tuna" — which has won the show's competition five times.