'Wicked Tuna' Star Nicholas 'Duffy' Fudge Dead at 28

Nicholas "Duffy" Fudge, a recurring cast member on the hit reality show "Wicked Tuna," is dead at a very young age ... according to Nat Geo.

Nicholas had been on the show since 2013. His death was announced on the the show's Facebook page ... which only said he had passed away last week. The post did not mention a cause of death.

He was a New Hampshire-based fisherman who served as first mate to Captain Tyler McLaughlin on their fishing vessel, Pinwheel.

If you haven't seen it ... Nat Geo's very successful show follows the fishermen as they head out to sea attempting to catch bluefin tuna, which can weigh hundreds of pounds and be worth thousands of dollars each.

'Wicked Tuna's' Facebook post notes that "Duffy" also appeared on the spinoff series "Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks."