I've followed along with every season of Wicked Tuna thus far, and it's a decent show. Of course, we are all aware that bluefin tuna is notoriously overfished and its populations are dwindling, but watching this show, you get to learn a lot about the fisheries and the hardships that these fishermen have to go through in order to make a living. It's an eye-opener to a different kind of community, and it's entertaining and emotional for viewers who are foreign to this kind of environment.
National Geographic also does a good job of turning the bluefin fishing into a sort of competition, which kind of pulls audiences in to see how each fishing vessel does by the end of the season. Sometimes, you've got good catches, and other times you fail miserably. It helps quantify the swing of good and bad luck that these fisherman face with each season.
There is obviously a lot of talk about overfishing bluefin and why National Geographic chose to air a show that is about depleting bluefin stock. However, there are regulations for bluefin tuna fishing, and as long as these regulations are met, I don't see why people are complaining about it. The fisherman are doing it for a living, and National Geographic decided to tag along and enjoy the ride. I say it was a good decision to focus on working-class people for once and give them some of the spotlight.
Overall, I find this show to be amusing because of the competition and the different wildlife that these fishermen encounter on a regular basis. It's a good show, and you definitely feel for the captains and their families if they have a bad year.
