“Wicked Tuna” Season 12 Premieres Sunday February 26 on Nat Geo

As a new season of “Wicked Tuna” begins, the bluefin tuna in the North Atlantic are ravenous, but Gloucester’s renowned captains are even more eager to prove they are the best in the fleet. New episodes of WICKED TUNA, a hit series on National Geographic, return on Sunday, February 26 at 9/8c, kicking off the show’s twelfth season.

WICKED TUNA, which is produced by Lionsgate’s Pilgrim Media Group, will also air internationally on National Geographic in 171 countries and 43 languages. The previous seasons of the show can be viewed on Disney+.

At the end of the season last year, there was a mad dash to the finish line as four boats competed for the one fish that would decide the winner. A year after leading the fleet in overall performance, Fat Tuna skipper Bob Cook (@CaptainBobCook) is determined to repeat his success. But he has a fleet of worthy rivals to defend his championship from, including the youngest of them all, Captain Jack Patrican of Time Flies (@Time Flies Charters). Patrican was the runner-up in the previous campaign, demonstrating that success does not always require years of experience.

But the FV-Tuna.com (@TunaDotComCaptain)’s Dave Carraro has more titles than anyone else in Gloucester, and he’s determined to use his four previous titles as motivation to take the trophy home once again this year. Pinwheel (@PinWheelFV) Captain Tyler McLaughlin is no stranger to victory himself, and with his new boat, he feels confident in his chances of taking home the championship. And the Hard Merchandise’s (@FVHardMerch) fan-favorite captain, Dave Marciano, is back and ready to compete after a successful season in 2017.

Both Captain Paul Hebert of the Wicked Pissah (@PissahTunaPaul) and Captain T.J. Ott of the Hot Tuna (@t.j.hottuna) are hoping to put last season behind them following disappointing campaigns in which a rift with their mate and Ott’s grief over the loss of Ott’s dog, Reba, respectively, ruined their prospects.

A new skipper, though, is already making headlines in the industry, and these seasoned Gloucester players will have to find a way to compete with him. The No Limits (@fv no limits) has a new skipper and first mate in Michelle Bancewicz and Lea Pinaud. Last year, Bancewicz made waves when a video of her capturing a 600-pound bluefin tuna by herself went viral. She has the talent and determination to upset the status quo.

Shot on location in and around Gloucester, Massachusetts, WICKED TUNA follows a crew of hardened fisherman from the United States’ oldest seaport as they try to pull in the elusive bluefin tuna the old fashioned way, with rod and reel. The show takes viewers behind the scenes of the country’s toughest captains’ most heated battles, fiercest competitions, terrible losses, and massive paychecks. There’s only one rule for commercial fishermen: catch something, or head home empty-handed.

WICKED TUNA Premiere Episodes Include the Following:

Wicked Tuna: Who’s the G.O.A.T. Boat (1201)

Premieres Sunday, February 26 @ 9/8c

As the Bluefin season opens, Gloucester’s toughest competitors kick off the battle for the first fish of the season and for the title of “G.O.A.T.” or “Greatest Of All Time.” Government restrictions limit the fleet to one fish per day and only four days of fishing per week. With such strict constraints, the winning boat will prove itself to be the GOAT!

Wicked Tuna: Push It to the Limit (1202)

Premieres Sunday, February 26 @ 10/9c

A new contender arrives to disrupt the ranks of Gloucester’s finest, as Captain Michelle Bancewicz and First Mate Lea Pinaud of Fishing Vessel No Limits make their entrance into the competition. While the fleet is split between fishing locally and making the run south to Chatham, Michelle, and Lea look to make their mark on the tuna world.

Wicked Tuna: A Whole New Pissah (1203)

Premieres Sunday, March 5 @ 9/8c

The bluefin bite is on as the fleet searches far and wide for the biggest payday possible. One Captain seeks redemption from last season’s financial woes and loss of respect from the fleet, but will his new positivity be enough to earn the respect he so desperately desires? Only time will tell if repentance comes with a paycheck.

About Wicked Tuna

Filmed on location in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and the surrounding waters, Wicked Tuna follows a group of salty fishermen from the nation’s oldest seaport as they make their living the way it’s been done for centuries – rod and reel fishing, one catch at a time – all in pursuit of the bluefin tuna. The series gives viewers an in-depth look at the intense battles, fierce competition, crushing losses, and major paydays of the country’s toughest captains. For commercial fishermen, the directive is simple: Catch a fish or go home without a paycheck.