A SAILOR is only as good as his ship, therefore the Wicked Tuna fishermen own top-end boats to secure their catch of the day.
The guys and girls of the hit National Geographic program have splurged on the best vessels to take them to sea.
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Who has the most expensive boat on Wicked Tuna?
Tuna fishing boats can cost between $20,000 and upwards of $100,000.
On Wicked Tuna, the vessels can rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost without considering the costs of customization.
Boats are typically equipped with extra gear and electronics that help their crews navigate the seas and pull the fish in.
The most expensive boat on the series is the Hot Tuna, a 48’ Dixon Series 60 Detroit that costs $300,000.
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After that, the PinWheel, a 45' Provincial Boat Builder, set crews back $280,000.
The Hot Tuna is captained by TJ Ott, while the PinWheel is helmed by Tyler McLaughlin.
Wicked Tuna boats range in length from 35 to 48 feet, and no one boat is the same.
Some of the ships have been customized exclusively for tuna fishing season.
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How much do tuna fish cost?
The coveted bluefin tuna is priced by the pound and prices can soar at auction.
At the first bluefin tuna auction of 2019, a 600-pound fish in Japan sold for a record-breaking $3 million.
That breaks down to $5,065 per pound.
"There's only one type of tuna in the world that grows [hundreds of pounds], bluefin tuna," said New York chef Derek Wilcox toBusiness Insider.
"And if you wanna try some, it's gonna cost you,"
"Bluefin is the most sought after. Only Bluefin has the intense marbling."
"Bluefin also, when it's aged properly, has a particular balance of flavors," Wilcox said.
In 2020, Wicked Tuna's Paul Hebert received his personal highest price per pound for one of his catches.
He said he secured $47.02 per pound for a fish he caught in the July season.
Although he didn't reveal how heavy the catch was, he may have pocketed upwards of $47,000 should the tuna have weighed more than 1,000 pounds.
"I had brought in one of the only tuna on the market at that time. To this day, I still have the text from the buyer saved on my phone."
On Wicked Tuna, Paul also caught the biggest bluefin, weighing 1,287 pounds.
Prices are so high for bluefin due to its limited supply in the ocean. Bluefin are overfished and do not breed in captivity.
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How can I watch Wicked Tuna?
Wicked Tuna began airing onthe National Geographic Channelon April 1, 2012.
Since then, it has aired 12 seasons with the 13th season premiering on March 17, 2024.
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The show can be viewed on the National Geographic channel on Sundays at 8 pm ET.
Wicked Tuna is also available for streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
