Shark Surge: Great Whites Doubling in Northern Waters

As of August 2025, marine researchers have revealed a significant increase in the population of great white sharks in the northern waters off the coasts of New England and Canada. According to the data, the number of great whites detected in the region has more than doubled over the past several years.

This surge in shark numbers is being driven by two key factors. First, protections put in place for the sharks' primary prey, seals, have allowed seal populations to rebound, providing an abundant food source for the predators. Additionally, warmer ocean temperatures caused by climate change have made these northern waters more hospitable for the great whites, leading them to venture farther north.

While attacks by great whites remain relatively rare, the growing shark presence has raised concerns, especially in areas like Australia where surfers and swimmers enjoy the warmer waters. Just this month, a surfer in Scarborough, Maine narrowly escaped death after a 13-foot-long great white took a bite out of his board. Sightings of the massive sharks have also become increasingly common off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy documenting hundreds of the animals over the past decade.

As the great whites continue to expand their range northward, experts warn that swimmers and beachgoers in Maine, New Hampshire, and beyond will need to be vigilant and keep an eye out for the powerful predators.