A Quebec diver was injured by a great white shark in Percé, Que., in the province’s Gaspé region, according to Plongée Percé. “This morning, an incident involving a diver and a white shark occurred during a diving activity,” Plongée Percé, a scuba diving centre and non-profit organization located in Percé, wrote in a social media post Wednesday. The person involved received first aid at the scene before being transported to hospital for further assessment. The organization said the person’s life is not in danger. All diving activities are suspended as a precaution for the remainder of the season, Plongée Percé wrote. In a social media post, the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory said they were aware of the incident and wished the diver and emergency responders involved well. The organization told CTV News the presence of white sharks in the Gulf of St. Lawrence has increased significantly in recent years, partly due to the increased grey seal population. “Nevertheless, the absolute risk of a shark-related incident remains low in Québec waters and elsewhere in Canada, although it is not zero and varies according to the circumstances,” the organization wrote. “This does not diminish the seriousness of today’s reported incident, but the event alone does not establish a sudden or widespread increase in risk to the public.” The organization said white sharks are common in Quebec and Atlantic Canadian waters, particularly in regions that have increased grey seal and fish prey populations. While it observed an increase in the probability of tagged white sharks in Atlantic Canadian waters beginning around 2019, it said that recent numbers are not unprecedented. “The available evidence does not, at present, demonstrate that the 2026 season is exceptional or that the level of risk to the public has materially changed,” the organization wrote.
