A diver was taken to the hospital following an encounter with a great white shark in Percé, Quebec, located in the Gaspé region of the province. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, as reported by the Canadian Coast Guard. Plongée Percé, a commercial diving company, promptly initiated emergency response procedures and provided initial first aid on-site before transferring the injured person to the hospital for further assessment. Fortunately, the individual’s life is not at risk.
The victim was on board the Yoda vessel, a Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary dive boat. However, the specific nature of the injuries sustained by the victim had not been confirmed by the Canadian Coast Guard as of Wednesday afternoon.
Kevin Dubé, a boat captain who witnessed the event, mentioned receiving a distress signal indicating an incident involving a diver. The injured diver was brought to shore using a dinghy, with ambulances already present to swiftly transport the individual to the hospital.
Plongée Percé expressed gratitude to those involved in the rescue operation and announced the suspension of diving activities for the remainder of the season.
In recent months, there has been an increase in sightings of great white sharks in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, as well as off the coasts of the Gaspé Peninsula and the Magdalen Islands. Ocearch, a global non-profit organization dedicated to shark research, is tracking four sharks named Webster, Ernst, Bella, and Nori. These sharks have been observed in various locations, with Nori spotted south of Anticosti Island, and Ernst and Bella swimming northeast of the Magdalen Islands.
Ocearch founder Chris Fischer highlighted the positive impact of the shark population recovery, emphasizing that these predators are crucial for maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems. Sharks, by preying on seals, help regulate fish stocks, which benefits local fisheries.
Caroline Miri, a marine biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, emphasized the significant role sharks play in marine ecosystems by controlling invasive species and maintaining ecosystem stability.
The St. Lawrence Shark Observatory attributed the surge in great white shark sightings to improved documentation and the species’ recovery from being endangered in Canadian waters. The presence of these sharks is linked to the abundance of grey seal populations in the region, especially during the breeding season.
Sandra Gauthier, director of the Exploramer science museum in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Quebec, acknowledged the inevitability of shark encounters due to the rising shark population in the gulf waters. Gauthier highlighted the importance of understanding and coexisting with sharks, noting that worldwide shark attacks are rare, with fewer than 12 incidents reported annually.
According to the Canadian Shark Attack Registry, Canada has recorded 15 confirmed shark-related incidents over a span of more than 330 years.