Overview

• A May 2025 study found detections rose about 2.5 times off Halifax from 2018 to 2022 and nearly fourfold in the Cabot Strait between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.
• Maine’s Department of Marine Resources has identified 93 unique great white sharks in the Gulf of Maine since 2020, including 19 individuals recorded on 47 dates in 2024.
• Average residency in northern waters has increased from 48 to 70 days, indicating the predators are lingering longer each season.
• Recent sightings near Scarborough, Maine, including August drone footage, have prompted renewed public advisories and expanded real-time tracking through state programs and reporting apps.
• Great whites and their seal prey benefit from legal protections, and officials emphasize that fatal incidents are exceedingly rare, with fewer than 60 recorded worldwide.