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Gloucester's Charter Fishing Boats In Uncharted Territory With Social Distancing

GLOUCESTER (CBS) -- You may have seen Captain Dave Marciano and his crew's hour-long battles with bluefin tuna chronicled off the shores of Gloucester on the National Geographic show "Wicked Tuna." The show is now filming its tenth season.

"I'm just a fisherman who got lucky," Marciano told WBZ-TV. "Not in a million years did we see that coming. I never imagined myself being that guy. It's just been a fabulous opportunity."

But when it comes to his day job aboard The Falcon, Marciano and his family find themselves in a similar boat as many of his fellow fishermen whose charter boats are their bread and butter.

Dave Marciano
Dave Marciano. (WBZ-TV)

"In New England, we've got four months to make the whole year," Marciano said. "These businesses that depend on tourists, we've already lost one of those months."

Marciano is easing his way into the reopening process by making one of his two boats available for anglers a few days a week. He's doing so while attempting to navigate somewhat murky waters - social distancing in a confined space at sea.

"I'll be the first to admit on a boat it's a challenge," he said. "This is an office on the move. We have this one square to work with, so on occasion I've reminded people to spread out a little."

Marciano acknowledges that that's easier said than done in some cases.

social distancing Dave Marciano
Dave Marciano has social distancing signs on The Falcon. (WBZ-TV)

"When you get your fish up, the crew's going to assist you," he said. "We do get within that 6-foot radius."

With the state's guidelines posted and hand sanitizing stations in place, Marciano said masks are worn by everyone. The boat is also disinfected along with each reel after every trip.

"We believe it's important to do it properly," Marciano said. "Important to do it safely, so we can continue to open more businesses."

To find a number of charter boat options, visit these sites:

fishingbooker.com
yankeefleet.com
saltwater-fishing-directory.com

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