Welcome to this list of sharks in Canada.  Many people are surprised to learn that a great many species of shark swim in Canadian waters.  Here’s a list of them.

List of Sharks in Canadian Waters:

Basking Shark

Photo Credit: Green Fire Productions, Wikimedia Commons

Basking sharks are often spotted during the summer months cruising the cool Canadian Waters from the Bay of Fundy to the Gulf of St Lawrence.  These gentle giants feed on small plankton and krill.

Basking Sharks can reach an enormous size (about 40 feet).  They are often mistaken for the much smaller Great White Shark.  Basking Sharks in Canada are protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

Greenland Shark

Photo Credit: By NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

There’s nothing more Canadian than a cold and frozen winter.  It should come as no surprise that Canada’s Greenland shark loves the cold, icy, frozen waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic.

Scientists believe that these sharks can live up to 500 years!  Greenland sharks are also among the largest sharks in the ocean.  They can reach up to 21 feet long and can weigh up to 2,200 lbs.

Greenland sharks eat fish and scavenge on remains of animals such as seals, moose, polar bear and even Reindeer!

There has never been a reported Greenland shark attack on boaters, swimmers or divers.

If you want to go scuba diving with these giants, there are operators in Baie Comeau, Quebec that will take you out.

Porbeagle Shark

Photo Credit: Public Domain, NOAA

The Porbeagle shark is an endangered shark due to commercial over-fishing.  Given that it’s numbers have plummeted to unsustainable levels, it’s surprising that this shark is not currently protected by the Government of Canada’s Species At Risk Act (SARA).

Porbeagles live in the north Atlantic and they range from Newfoundland and the Gulf of St Lawrence, to the Gulf of Maine, including the Bay of Fundy.

They can grow up to 12 feet long and are among the fastest swimmers in the ocean.

Salmon Shark

Photo Credit: Public Domain, NOAA

The Salmon Shark inhabits the waters off the coast of British Columbia.  Salmon sharks grow up to 10 feet long and feed on salmon, squid and other fish.

Blue Shark

Photo Credit: Public Domain, NOAA

Blue Sharks are also found in Canadian Waters.  These sharks have a distinctive torpedo shape, and are long and slender.  They can grow to about 12 feet and feed predominantly on fish.

Short Fin Mako Shark

Photo Credit: Public Domain, NOAA

The Mako shark is the fastest fish in the ocean, capable of catching Tuna and other fast fish.  One of the largest Mako’s ever caught was caught off of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 2004.

Photo Credit: Carla Allen

The shark is huge, a solid 10 footer.

Great White Shark

Photo Credit: Brocken Inaglory, Wikimedia Commons

Photo Credit: Terry Goss, Wikimedia Commons

Great White sharks have a long history of visiting Canadian waters.  For years, fishermen have told tales of encountering these sharks, but now we have satellite tracking data to prove that significant numbers of great white sharks visit Canadian waters.

According to great white shark satellite tracking data, the massive grey seal colony on Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia, is a preferred hunting ground for great white’s looking to score a meal.

There are regular sightings all over Atlantic Canada.  There’s also the occasional sighting in British Columbia.  These sharks aren’t looking to eat people, but are hunting seals, porpoises and fish.  Great White Sharks in Canada are protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

For more information please see the Canadian Shark Research Lab at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans website.

Thanks for reading this List of Sharks in Canada.