The FV-Tuna.com
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FV-Tuna.com Crew
From left to right: Deckhand Sandro Maniaci, Captain and Owner Dave Carraro, and First Mate Paul Hebert
Meet the FV-Tuna.com. They're the best around—and they know it. Under the fiercely competitive leadership of Captain Dave Carraro, this three-man crew is at the top of their game, consistently hauling in giant fish ("monstahs")—and a lot of them.
But Captain Dave isn't the most popular guy in the water. Going against the tenets of an unspoken fisherman's code, "Tricky Dave" isn't above providing the other boats with fake GPS coordinates, sending them out on wild goose chases while he hauls in the "blue gold."
Envied and despised by the other boats, the FV-Tuna.com has been described as the "evil empire" of the sea. But will their winning streak endure?
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Captain Dave Carraro
Dave Carraro isn't from Massachusetts. He's actually a northern New Jersey native who grew up fishing in the waters near home, but moved to Gloucester 12 years ago when the bluefin population around New Jersey began to wane.
In addition to being a captain and boat owner, Captain Dave is a professional airline pilot who’s worked for several commercial airlines. But to him, flying is a job—a means of subsidizing his true passion in life. “I would have not become a pilot if I couldn’t fish,” he explains. And if he had to choose between the two, flying or fishing? No contest. “Fishing is my priority."
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Captain Dave Fishing
To Captain Dave Carraro, the most challenging part of being a fisherman is sleep deprivation. “We just don’t sleep,” he says. “We’re out there for three, four days at a time, and we’re awake for most of that. It seems like even when you get a chance to lie down for a nap, that’s when you hook up. Or when the weather’s rough and you have to shut down the operation, you still don’t get to sleep, because you get tossed around in the bunk.”
Learning to be able to function at a high level even when exhausted, he says, is what differentiates the professional fisherman from the amateur. “You get your second wind, and you feel like Superman,” he says. “You know that when you come in, you’re going to get a chance to sleep. But sometimes, when you do hit the bunk, you’re so excited that you don’t want to.”
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First Mate Paul Hebert
“I’ve been doing this my whole life, since I was a baby,” says Paul Hebert, first mate of FV-Tuna.com—and he’s only half-kidding. “I grew up doing this. My father was a fisherman, and my five brothers do it. My mother does it. It's all I know. It’s like growing up on a farm, and knowing about cows. I grew up knowing bluefin. When I was four, my dad used to set me up next to him in a chair while he went harpooning.”
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Paul Leaning Over Bow
First Mate Paul Hebert works to haul in a hooked, 500-pound bluefin.
While some fishermen go through entire careers without even daring to tackle the mighty bluefin, Hebert caught his first one at the tender age of eight, using a handline. “It was 1,100 pounds!” he recalls. “They were all that big, in those days. If you caught an 800-pounder, it was small.”
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First Mate Paul Hebert
It’s been a while since big fish were abundant in the waters off New England, and marine biologists are concerned about the species’ future prospects. All the same, the fishing instincts that seemingly are encoded in Paul Hebert’s DNA tell him the 1,000-pounders will return. “They’re coming back now, it’s just starting,” he believes. “The purse seiners over in Europe, where for years they didn’t have limits, are chasing away all the big fish. They’re coming over here. The size is getting bigger and bigger each year.”
And as a professional fisherman, Hebert says he’d be thrilled to see the bluefin make a major comeback. “If we don’t catch these fish, I don’t eat,” he explains. “This is all I do. That’s why I work every day, and make it count. When you get into the fish, you usually make all your money in a couple of weeks of the season. But you have to go into it thinking that today may be the last day of the season."
"But I love my job," adds Hebert. "I’m the best at what I do.”
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Deck Hand Sandro
Sandro Maniaci grew up in Gloucester and has a father and an uncle in what he calls “the fish business,” so it’s not a surprise that he started fishing pretty much as soon as he could walk. By grade school, he was catching sunfish in a local pond, and by adolescence, his mother was taking him to the docks and watching dutifully as he cast lines for striped bass. By high school, he was going out on boats in search of various saltwater fish. And when he wasn’t fishing, he was watching TV shows about fishing.
His fascination with bluefin started around that time, when he saw the big tuna boats coming in with their heavy gear and unloading the gigantic, streamlined creatures on the dock. “I wanted to catch them too,” he recalls. “It was something I always wanted to do, from the moment I saw them.”
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Catch of the Day
“These are tough fish,” explains Sandro Maniaci, deckhand of FV-Tuna.com. “The big ones that we want somehow have managed to avoid being caught all these years, so they obviously aren’t easy to haul in. You can have days when you’ve got 25 or 30 of them under the boat, and none of them will bite.”
While an ordinary sport fisherman may have the good fortune to get a big bluefin, Maniaci says that what separates the civilians from the professionals is consistency. “The average guy might be able to go out and get lucky, like hitting a scratch ticket,” he says. “But to catch them consistently, that takes a special set of skills.”
Dave, Congrats on another Great Season, it was best to let Paul go, and as far as Sandro goes.....is a OUTSTANDING Fisherman and Deckhand!!!...
I don't know why more people don't vote for Dave. He's level headed, safety conscience, and good hearted.
I think the problem is too many people are influenced by the thought the leader (aka succseful) must
go down and be defeated) Give'm hell Dave, those punk kids on the pinwheel are disrespectful to you, other fisherman and the sport. On the show they spend half their time dissing or discussing Dave and Tuna.com
David
Every group of fisherman brings something to the show. But you can't beat the professionalism and order that Dave has on his boat!!
Paul is a character, Tyler's crew is fun but Tyler himslef needs to show a little respect. All though I believe it's a lilttle scripted.
Reminds me of bowhunting big whitetails, hours sometimes, days of tortorus boredom, followed by my an hour of pure, unlimited exctiement!!! Would love to spend a couple of weeks onboard just as an observer!!!
Please change the picture that KOOK paul is gone! What is his problem? Is he always that imature or did he get dropped on his head when he was young? His three year old vocabulary and grinding rants make me want to stop watching. When he starts deficating from the mouth I turn the volume down. Am I the only person who feels this way. I was bothered enough to wrtite this and I assure you this is not something I would normally do.
Change the picture Paul is gone! I just wish he was gone from the whole show. That squid is wicked imature! He reminds me of a five year old who consumed too much pepsi. Aint that a pisser. On the west coast we call him a KOOK.
You would probally would catch more fish if you would worry about yourself and stop worring about everybody else or not. Paul is going to run all over you. Drop the attitude
I know the kids talks a lot of s***, but when I saw him single handedly pull in the 78" by himself he's got the ultimate bragging rights hands down. All the other scuffs just complain like girls. Come on guys, GUY-UP!
Leaving the .com was probably the push that was needed to move forward Paul. That actually was a very very good thing that happened. Now instead of just getting a small % of the catch your getting the big checks instead of the guy that didn't appreciate your contribution to his bank account . Money is the bottom line here and guy's such as your self are worth there weight in gold out there, too bad sneaky D never realized it. Now he will!! Good Luck to ya : -)
Just wanna give a shout out to Paul and Sandro you guys kill it. Do i smell mutiny coming. Make Dave walk the plank that would make a good season finally
You guys are the best. The rest of them, well they need help to bad keep it up.
I'm glad pally is ack it wasn't the same with out him. Thanx
You guys are the best. The rest of them, well they need help to bad keep it up.
I'm glad pally is ack it wasn't the same with out him. Thanx
You guys are the best. The rest of them, well they need help to bad keep it up.
I'm glad pally is ack it wasn't the same with out him. Thanx
Dave....you have got to tell that sook Bill not to ask you again for information. That way he doesnt get disappointed when you keep your information to yourself, like you should, and this is your right too!!....And more importantly so he doesnt follow you around....cause he cant think for himself. Tell him to find his own fish and information.....
Ole big mouth sawed off shrimp two faced Paulies back with his butt thumper pal Dave this year huh ?
SDave I heart you sandro and paul with all my heart...i kno how amazing you men are
@Levi Kelley From what I've seen....FV merely stands for Fishing Vessel. I think everyone's question....is why was the FV added to their name?
@Caryn Karkos @Levi Kelley I would hazard a guess and say "Tuna.com" is probably owned by Star Kist or one of the other tuna companies and they threatened a lawsuit if the name wasn't changed.