Govind Tekale
A diver was bitten near Percé on Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula on September 16, 2026 and was brought to shore before being transported to hospital. The local diving operator, Plongée Percé, confirmed the diver’s life was not in danger. The incident has been widely reported as involving a white shark, though some accounts note the species attribution comes from operator and news reporting rather than a formal wildlife authority confirmation.
The incident occurred in waters near Percé on the Gaspé Peninsula in eastern Quebec. According to reporting from CBC News and Radio-Canada, the diver was brought to shore and transferred to hospital. Global News, CTV News, and CityNews also covered the incident. Plongée Percé subsequently suspended diving activities for the remainder of the season as a precautionary measure.
The Canadian Shark Attack Registry, maintained by the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory, records shark incidents in Canadian waters and tracks the history of shark encounters along the Quebec coast. Shark attacks off Quebec are rare—the registry records only 15 confirmed incidents across more than three centuries of recorded history.
Are great white sharks found near Gaspé?
Yes. White sharks have been documented in Gaspé Bay, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the marine area adjacent to Forillon National Park, which borders the Gaspé Peninsula. White sharks follow prey into these waters during summer and early fall—the same season when the water is most actively used by divers, swimmers, and kayakers.
That presence is not new and does not indicate a sudden surge in shark activity. White sharks have been documented in St. Lawrence waters for years, and tagging data from organisations such as Ocearch has confirmed shark movements along the Atlantic Canadian coast from Florida to Newfoundland and Labrador. The presence of white sharks in the Gulf of St. Lawrence is an established fact, not a surprise result of this incident.
What the Gaspé incident adds to that baseline is a reported interaction. A single incident does not establish a pattern. The local diving operator suspended activities for the remainder of the season as a precautionary measure following the encounter.
Anyone diving, swimming, or kayaking in Gaspé Bay and surrounding waters should be aware of guidance for Forillon National Park, which recommends standard precautions around marine wildlife.
Are great white sharks common in Gaspé?
White sharks are present in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and around the Gaspé Peninsula, particularly in summer and early fall. They are not a constant or everyday presence, and attacks in the area are rare—the Canadian Shark Attack Registry records only 15 confirmed incidents across more than 330 years of recorded history. The Gaspé coast is within the range of white shark movements in Atlantic Canada, but frequency of sightings varies by season and year.
Details on the formal species identification are expected from Quebec authorities. Check back for updates as the investigation continues.
