Overview

• Peer‑reviewed tracking shows detections off Halifax rose about 2.5 times from 2018–2022, with nearly fourfold growth in the Cabot Strait and average northern residency increasing from 48 to 70 days.
• The Maine Department of Marine Resources identified 93 unique great white sharks from 2020–2024, including 19 individuals recorded on 47 dates in 2024.
• Recent sightings in Scarborough, Maine, reflect broader seasonal presence across New England and Atlantic Canada, with social media and the Sharktivity app amplifying public reporting.
• Great whites remain protected, including a U.S. federal fishing ban since 1997, and Massachusetts tightened shoreline gear rules in 2024 after reports of anglers targeting the species.
• Experts stress risk to people is very low, noting fewer than 60 fatal great white bites worldwide on record and only two confirmed unprovoked shark attacks in Maine since 1837, including the 2020 fatality.