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| Contender is the largest great white shark ever tagged by OCEARCH. Credit : OCEARCH |
ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida – A 13-foot, 9-inch great white shark weighing over 1,600 pounds was tracked off St. Augustine, Florida just after 5 p.m. on Friday, February 7, 2025.
This adult great white shark named ‘Contender’ was tagged with a satellite transponder by OCEARCH shark researchers off the coast of the Florida-Georgia border in January 2025.
Contender is the largest great white shark ever tagged by OCEARCH.
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| Ocearch great white tracking map of Florida. Credit: OCEARCH. |
The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) population has been growing along the U.S. East Coast, according to a study by NOAA Fisheries.
The study also found that great white sharks occur primarily between Massachusetts and New Jersey during the summer, off Florida during winter, and with a broad distribution along the U.S. East Coast during spring and fall.
To stay up-to-date on Contender’s latest locations, visit the OCEARCH tracking map.