As climate change warms the world’s oceans, great white sharks are being pushed into new territories—traveling farther north and staying longer than ever before. Scientists tracking these apex predators off the U.S. and Canadian coasts have found evidence that these sharks are adapting to shifting temperatures by expanding their range. But while their behavior is changing, our protections for them are not.

Without updated conservation policies, great whites face increased danger from human activity in regions where protections may be weaker or nonexistent. In some northern waters, they risk becoming entangled in fishing gear or facing public backlash fueled by fear rather than facts. This puts both the sharks and marine ecosystems at risk. As apex predators, great whites help regulate marine life and maintain a healthy balance in the ocean food chain.

We must act now to protect these animals before increased human-shark interactions lead to reactionary policies that prioritize fear over science.

We are calling on: 

• NOAA Fisheries and Fisheries and Oceans Canada to expand current great white shark protections northward to reflect their shifting migratory patterns.
• State and provincial wildlife agencies along the U.S. Northeast and Atlantic Canada to collaborate on consistent conservation standards.
• Local governments in emerging shark sighting areas to lead with public education and not panic.

Great white sharks aren’t invading our waters—they’re adapting to survive. As the climate changes, we must evolve too—by protecting these species in every ocean they now call home.

Sign this petition to urge U.S. and Canadian wildlife authorities to update protections for great white sharks in their new northern habitats.