There are twelve species of shark that swim in Newfoundland and Labrador waters, but there’s one occasional visitor that really gets people talking.
There have been a number of recorded Great White shark sightings in Newfoundland waters in recent years.
The huge predators have been known to make their way north to chase available prey and perhaps even find a mate.
DFO Research scientist Dr. Carolyn Miri says she hasn’t had an opportunity to see one of the giant fish, but DFO’s summer shark team, which was on the water tagging blue sharks and porbeagles two years ago, had their own close encounter.
“They were preparing a tag for another shark, and guess what happened to cruise by the boat?” she recounts enthusiastically. It happened to be a juvenile white shark. They managed to grab one single cell phone picture of it before it swam away.
She says it was an exciting moment for the research team. “They were over the moon,” Miri says of the crew who spotted the Great White, even if it was for just a few moments.
Report a shark sighting or incident in Atlantic Canada:
By phone (toll-free): 1-844-400-7870
By email: NLSharkSightings@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Online: Shark sighting form
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