Great white sharks begin seasonal migration south as several ping off the Atlantic Coast
Each year, great white sharks migrate from summer and fall feeding grounds in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern U.S. to warmer winter habitats farther south.
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THE TAKEAWAY
- Great white sharks are beginning their seasonal migration south.
- As temperatures begin to cool in the fall and winter, the sharks migrate toward warmer waters.
- Since late October, OCEARCH has tracked several great white sharks making their way toward the warmth.
Great white sharks are beginning their seasonal migration south, with several already making their way away from the feeding grounds off the northeastern U.S. and Canada.
Each year, great white sharks migrate from summer and fall feeding grounds in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern U.S. to warmer winter habitats farther south, according to OCEARCH, a global nonprofit that studies and tracks sharks around the world.
Ernst, the great white shark, has gotten the attention of scientists amid increased activity.
(OCEARCH / Instagram)
As temperatures begin to cool in the fall and winter, the sharks migrate toward warmer waters in search of abundant food sources. They typically travel toward the southeastern U.S. and the Caribbean for the winter months.
During the summer and fall, the species moves north to take advantage of productive feeding grounds before beginning its journey south.
Water temperatures play an important role in the seasonal shift. Great white sharks typically prefer water temperatures between 54 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Nori as she's released after being tagged by OCEARCH in Oct. 2025.
(OCEARCH / FOX Weather)
Since late October, OCEARCH has tracked several great white sharks making their way toward warmer waters.
On Nov. 2, Ernest, a female great white shark weighing more than 1,000 pounds, was detected off the coast of New Jersey.
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Ernest measures 12 feet long and was tagged off Nova Scotia in 2025 during OCEARCH's collaborative research with the Tancook Islands Marine Field Station. The shark was previously detected in the Gulf of St. Lawrence near Canada before making her way farther south.
Another shark making her annual winter journey is Penny, who was detected in the Gulf Coast waters of Florida on Nov. 2.
Large white shark looks straight into the camera. Captured in the clear blue waters of South Australia.
(Nautilus Creative / Getty Images)
Penny weighs 522 pounds and is the 92nd white shark tagged by OCEARCH in the Western North Atlantic and the fourth tagged during Expedition Northbound.
Meanwhile, Nori was detected off the coast of Rhode Island on Halloween. The juvenile female great white shark measures 8 feet, 10 inches long and weighs 423 pounds. She was tagged on Oct. 4, 2025, in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, as part of OCEARCH's research into the Western North Atlantic white shark population.
As the seasonal migration continues, researchers will continue monitoring the sharks as they travel south toward warmer waters for the winter.