Florida has more unprovoked shark attacks than anywhere else in the world. In fact, New Smyrna Beach has so many shark attacks that it has earned the nickname “Shark Bite Capital of the World.” So, it’s no surprise Florida has seen more than its fair share of large sharks. When these ocean behemoths are detected by research vessels, they are recorded by OCEARCH. This global non-profit researches and tags sharks to educate and help conserve the species. Among their research subjects are some larger-than-life great white sharks, including seven that frequent the waters off the coast of Florida.
Breton – 1,437 Pounds
Great white sharks like Breton typically move south to more temperate waters during the winter.
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Flagler Beach had a surprise on New Year’s Day when Breton was spotted off the coast in 2024. Winter is a time of migration for great white sharks as they move south. Warmer waters, like those surrounding Florida, are a common feeding ground for great whites like Breton. OCEARCH clocked the shark at 1,437 pounds and 13 feet 3 inches long, making it one of the largest in Florida at that time.
Breton spent time swimming near Jacksonville before heading south to Daytona Beach early in 2024. Since then, Breton has made his way from Florida to the coast of Newfoundland. In 1,790 days, he has traveled 48,208 miles. Breton was most recently pinged on August 06, 2025 near the New England Seamounts in the North Atlantic.
Vimy – 1,637 Pounds
Vimy swam more than 16,000 miles in less than 1,000 days.
Similar to Breton, Vimy has had quite a long swimming route. OCEARCH first tagged him during its Nova Scotia expedition, weighing him at 1,636 pounds and measuring 12 feet 7 inches in length. In 920 days, he swam a total of 16,822 miles. That’s the equivalent of driving across the U.S. from coast to coast eight times.
While his most recent ping in April of 2022 was from Florida’s Palm Coast, he has spent plenty of time off the coast of the Carolinas and Georgia. According to OCEARCH, this shark was named after the Battle of Vimy Ridge, and its commitment to survival has undoubtedly lived up to the victorious outcome.
Scot – 1,644 Pounds
The OCEARCH Nova Scotia expedition tagged Scot, an adult great white that measures just over 12 feet.
Scot was tagged for the first time during the OCEARCH Nova Scotia expedition. He was found off the coast of West Ironbound Island, but has since been spotted around Florida’s coast in search of warmer waters. When he was found, he weighed 1,644 pounds and measured 12 feet 3 inches long.
Interestingly, Scot has been tracked on both the West and East coasts of Florida. He has traveled 20,463 miles in 1,398 days. In 2022, he was found swimming just off the coast of Sarasota before making his way extremely close to the shore of Boynton Beach. His most recent location was off the coast of Bodie Island, North Carolina on July 07, 2025. Scot will likely return to Florida again, if he’s not already there.
Contender – 1,653 Pounds
Contender is massive.
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OCEARCH calls Contender the “ultimate ocean warrior.” Contender is one of the most recently tagged large great white sharks near the coast of Florida. On January 17th, 2025, this great white measured 13.8 feet long and weighed 1,653 pounds. This makes Contender one of the largest sharks ever tagged by OCEARCH. He was first seen swimming roughly 45 miles off the coast of Florida, near the Georgia border.
Since tagging, Contender has been tracked off the coast of Florida near Vero Beach, Palm Bay, Cape Canaveral, Apollo Beach, and Daytona Beach. In 188 days, he has traveled 2,433 miles. His most recent ping was on July 24, 2025 near Nantucket Island off the coast of Massachusetts.
Mahone – 1,701 Pounds
While he might not be the largest in Florida, Mahone is the largest great white ever tagged in Canadian waters.
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Mahone has an extensive history with OCEARCH. Over the last five years, he has covered a total distance of 28,736 miles, traveling from the northernmost point of Newfoundland to Orlando, Florida. He has traveled 28,736 miles in 1,671 days. Mahone might not be the largest off Florida’s coast, but he’s the largest great white ever tagged in Canadian waters. He was first weighed at 1,701 pounds and measured 13 feet 7 inches.
Mahone’s latest ping was on April 28, 2025, far from the coast of the U.S. near the Montmagny Seamount near Newfoundland. However, in March 2022, he spent several days off the coast of Daytona Beach and was tracked off the coast of St. Augustine in February of 2024.
Lydia – 2,072 Pounds
Lydia covered more than 50,000 miles in five years.
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One of two female sharks on this list, Lydia’s size makes her quite impressive. When she was found, she measured 14 feet 6 inches and weighed 2,072 pounds. This great white shark was tagged for the first time in Jacksonville, Florida in 2013 and has since undertaken an impressive journey through Atlantic waters. In five years, Lydia covered 52,402 miles from the Labrador Sea down to Nassau, Bahamas.
Lydia has the most extensive range of any shark on this list. Her last ping was in 2017 off the coast of Port St. Lucie, Florida, closest to the Abaco Islands in the northern Bahamas. What’s most impressive is her route along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which took her to the middle of the Atlantic between Morocco and Ireland. Since trackers only last five years, there is no confirmation of her current whereabouts. Given her history off Florida’s coast, there’s a very good chance she could be back someday.
Unama’ki – 2,195 Pounds
Unama’ki was named after the Mi’kmaq people’s name for Cape Breton.
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If you thought great whites couldn’t get bigger than Lydia, think again! Unama’ki was named after the Mi’kmaq people’s name for Cape Breton. She was tagged for the first time in 2019 off the coast of Scatarie Island, Nova Scotia. At that time, she weighed a whopping 2,195 pounds and measured 15 feet 5 inches. She’s an exciting discovery for OCEARCH because she has the potential to lead researchers to a great white nursery someday.
What’s unique about Unama’ki is her swim route, which frequently takes her to the coast of Florida. While her latest ping was in 2020, she spent months off the coast between Palm Bay and the Keys. In February 2020, she was found as far west as the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of New Orleans. In 437 days, Unama’ki covered 14,217 miles.
