Bella, a juvenile great white shark weighing at least 730 pounds, is currently spending her summer in the waters off Atlantic Canada. Tracked on July 4 moving through the Gulf of the St. Lawrence near Quebec’s Magdalen Islands, Bella first appeared off the Eastern Coast of Prince Edward Island on June 29, marking the initial documented great white shark sighting in the Gulf of the St. Lawrence for the 2026 season according to the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory.
Initially tagged in Mahone Bay, N.S., last summer, Bella has journeyed from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, passing through various regions including Cape Cod, the Gulf of Maine, and Nova Scotia. While some may find Bella’s presence alarming, experts emphasize that white sharks are regular seasonal visitors to Atlantic Canada and have historically inhabited these waters. Factors such as improved tracking technology and increased seal populations contribute to the rise in white shark sightings.
Estimating the number of great white sharks in Atlantic Canada waters is challenging, with around 70 to 90 tagged individuals passing through Mahone Bay annually. Nigel Hussey, co-director of the Tancook Islands Marine Field Station, suggests there are likely over 2,000 white sharks in the region each year. Climate change and warming ocean temperatures are also influencing the frequency of shark sightings.
While white sharks have been detected in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, there are no records of them entering the St. Lawrence River itself. Researchers reassure the public that white sharks pose minimal risk to humans but advocate for caution when swimming, especially in areas with high seal populations. Shark attacks in Canada are extremely rare, with only one confirmed shark-related human death in the past 330 years.
Recent sightings of great white sharks in Atlantic Canada include encounters near Nova Scotia, Vancouver Island, and Haida Gwaii. These sightings highlight the migratory patterns of these apex predators and their significant role in maintaining balanced ocean ecosystems. The presence of white sharks in Canadian waters signifies a positive shift in their population recovery and the overall health of marine environments.