NEW STUDY REVEALS THE GULF IS A WINTER HOME FOR WHITE SHARKS
Tracking data from 92 white sharks reveals the Gulf serves as a consistent overwintering habitat for the western North Atlantic population.
JACKSONVILLE, FL, March 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new peer-reviewed scientific study reveals that the Gulf serves as a regular winter habitat for white sharks migrating thousands of miles from Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States.
The research, published in the journal Wildlife Research, tracked the movements of 92 white sharks tagged between Nova Scotia, Canada, and Jacksonville, Florida as part of a long-term collaborative research effort coordinated by OCEARCH.
Using satellite-linked smart position (SPOT), pop-up archival (PSAT), and acoustic tags, researchers discovered that more than half of the sharks tracked — 57 individuals across all life stages — spent significant time in the Gulf or Straits of Florida, primarily between December and May.
The findings reshape long-standing assumptions about the species’ seasonal movements in the western North Atlantic.
“For years we suspected white sharks were using the Gulf more than people realized,” said Chris Fischer, Founder and Expedition Leader of OCEARCH. “This research confirms the Gulf is a regular winter habitat for this population and highlights how connected the ecosystems of the Atlantic Ocean truly are.”
A Migration Spanning Thousands of Miles
Each year, white sharks migrate from summer/fall feeding grounds in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States to warmer winter habitats farther south.
Tracking data from the study shows tagged sharks entering the Gulf through the Straits of Florida, typically traveling south of the Florida Keys before spreading across the eastern Gulf.
Once in the Gulf, the sharks were most frequently detected along the shelf edge of the West Florida Shelf, with notable activity near Pulley Ridge, a productive reef system off southwest Florida. Additional hotspots were observed in the Straits of Florida off the Florida Keys, and in offshore areas near DeSoto Canyon and the Florida Panhandle in the northeastern Gulf.
Some of the tagged white sharks crossed into the western Gulf and into Mexican coastal waters, while movements along the northern coast of Cuba were also noted.
Some sharks remained in the Gulf for weeks or even months, and many returned in multiple years — demonstrating strong site fidelity, or the tendency to repeatedly return to the same geographic areas.
A Critical Habitat Across Life Stages
The researchers found that white sharks tagged at multiple life stages—including individuals tagged as young-of-the-year, juveniles, subadults, and adults—eventually used the Gulf during later migrations. Both male and female sharks were documented using the region. These findings highlight the broad connectivity of the western North Atlantic population and the role the Gulf plays within their larger migratory range.
PSAT tag data also revealed that sharks spent most of their time in the upper layers of the ocean (0–200 meters) and frequently moved vertically through the water column, sometimes diving to depths of several hundred meters. These behaviors are commonly associated with hunting prey species that migrate vertically through the water column.
Water temperature also appears to play a role. Sharks spent much of their time in Gulf waters between 21–24°C (70–75°F), conditions warmer than much of the Atlantic during winter months.
“The sharks we tracked were tagged in several locations along the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada, yet many of them were documented in the Gulf during winter,” said Cade C. Roach, lead author of the study. “This highlights the extensive range of the western North Atlantic population and the ecological connectivity between the Gulf and the broader Atlantic Ocean. Our results suggest the Gulf is used more consistently by white sharks than previously understood and provide an important foundation for future research into the environmental drivers shaping their migration and habitat use.”
Implications for Conservation
Historically, white sharks were considered only occasional visitors to the Gulf. The new findings demonstrate the region functions as a reliable overwintering habitat for these apex predators that are rebuilding their numbers after decades of overfishing.
Understanding how and where sharks use the Gulf, including areas outside of US territorial waters, can help scientists and policymakers better identify critical habitats and improve conservation strategies with other nations in the region.
“These findings demonstrate the remarkable connectivity of the western North Atlantic white shark population,” said John P. Tyminski, Senior Data Scientist at OCEARCH and co-author of the study. “The Gulf plays an important role in the annual migration of these animals, and continued research will help us better understand the environmental factors that influence where sharks travel and how they use these habitats.”
The research also reinforces the importance of long-term tagging programs that allow scientists to track animals across entire ocean basins over multiple years.
Low Risk for Beachgoers
While the study confirms white sharks use Gulf waters regularly during winter months, the research shows most shark activity occurs along offshore shelf-edge environments, away from heavily used recreational beaches. While individual sharks occasionally move closer to shore—as reflected in some detections on the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker™—encounters with humans remain extremely rare.
Florida at the Center of Shark Research
The findings also highlight Florida’s role as a global hub for ocean research and shark science.
OCEARCH’s new Global Headquarters is being developed in Mayport, Jacksonville, Florida, with strong support from the City of Jacksonville and the State of Florida. The facility will serve as a collaborative research, education, outreach, and workforce-training campus dedicated to advancing ocean science and conservation.
“Florida’s support of this research demonstrates why the state is a world leader in ocean research, conservation, and management. It ensures we have the capacity to develop thought-leading researchers with the practical skills to win on the water for future generations,” Fischer said. “OCEARCH’s global headquarters in Mayport, Florida, will serve as a new model for bringing fishermen and scientists together around a shared vision to accelerate our ocean’s return to balance and abundance.”
About the Study
Between 2012 and 2023, researchers tagged 92 white sharks along the Atlantic coast of North America using satellite and acoustic telemetry technologies.
Since the study period concluded, OCEARCH has continued to tag additional white sharks, expanding one of the largest datasets on white shark movements in the western North Atlantic beyond the animals included in this analysis. Ongoing research in the region will continue to grow as OCEARCH establishes its new Global Headquarters in Mayport, Jacksonville, Florida.
Data from these tags allowed scientists to map shark movements across thousands of miles of ocean, revealing seasonal migration corridors and identifying key habitats in the Gulf.
The study, “Use of the Gulf of Mexico as an overwintering area by western North Atlantic white sharks,” was published in the journal Wildlife Research.
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About OCEARCH
OCEARCH is a 501(c)(3) global non-profit organization conducting unprecedented research on our ocean's giants to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean. Our mission is to return our world’s oceans to balance and abundance through fearless innovations in critical scientific research, education, outreach, and policy using unique collaborations of individuals and organizations in the U.S. and abroad.
OCEARCH is recognized as a world leader in generating scientific data related to tracking (telemetry) and biological studies of keystone marine species such as white sharks, tiger sharks, and more.
Through its free Global Shark Tracker™ and mobile app, OCEARCH allows scientists, educators, and the public to follow the real-time movements of tagged sharks and learn about ocean science. The organization also offers a free STEM and NGSS-aligned curriculum that promotes ocean literacy and environmental awareness.
OCEARCH’s Global Headquarters is being developed in Mayport, Jacksonville, Florida, with strong support from the City of Jacksonville and the State of Florida, creating a collaborative campus for ocean research, conservation, education, and public engagement. The headquarters will serve as a hub for scientific discovery, workforce development, and learning, helping position Florida as a leader in ocean science and conservation.
OCEARCH’s research is proudly supported by the following socially responsible organizations: Costa Sunglasses, YETI Coolers, Yamaha Rightwaters, Landry’s Inc., Cisco Brewers, Seakeeper Ride, SeaWorld Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, and Disney Conservation Fund.
Learn more at https://www.ocearch.org
Help Power What’s Next
Every tag, every data point, and every expedition is made possible by OCEARCH’s community of partners, donors, and followers. To support ongoing shark research and ocean conservation, visit ocearch.org/donate
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