Bella, a juvenile great white shark measuring 10 feet long and weighing at least 730 pounds, is currently spending her summer in the waters off Atlantic Canada. Tracked by the OCEARCH shark tracking website, Bella was recently observed moving through the Gulf of the St. Lawrence near Quebec’s Magdalen Islands.
Having first appeared off the Eastern Coast of Prince Edward Island on June 29, Bella marked the initial documented great white shark sighting in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence for the 2026 season, as reported by the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory. Tagged last summer in Mahone Bay, N.S., Bella journeyed from Cape Cod through various Canadian waters before reaching her current location in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Researchers emphasize that increased white shark sightings in recent years are part of normal shark behavior and not cause for alarm. The St. Lawrence Shark Observatory stresses that white sharks are regular seasonal visitors to Atlantic Canada and have historically inhabited these waters for thousands of years.
The recovery of white shark populations in Atlantic Canada, previously depleted due to unregulated fishing practices, is linked to conservation efforts and the resurgence of seal populations, a key food source for these predators. Improved tracking technologies and public contributions, such as citizen scientists’ observations, have also led to more frequent white shark sightings.
While the exact number of white sharks in Atlantic Canada remains challenging to estimate, researchers believe there are over 2,000 white sharks annually in the region. Factors like warming ocean temperatures contribute to the increased sightings. The presence of white sharks in Canadian waters underscores the importance of coexisting safely with these apex predators.
Shark attacks are exceedingly rare in Canada, with only a handful of confirmed incidents over the past few centuries. Awareness and precautions are recommended when swimming in areas known to have white shark presence, such as avoiding murky waters and seal habitats.
From tagged white sharks migrating to Atlantic Canada to notable encounters with these predators in various regions, recent shark sightings highlight the dynamic presence of white sharks in Canadian waters.
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