White Shark 'Webster' Tracked Hundreds of Miles Off Florida's Space Coast

The adult male white shark was tagged by OCEARCH and is being monitored as it travels through the open Atlantic Ocean.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A white shark named Webster, tagged by the research nonprofit OCEARCH in 2025, has been tracked traveling hundreds of miles off the coast of Florida's Cape Canaveral region. Webster, a 12-foot, 1,000-pound adult male white shark, has been closely monitored by OCEARCH as he has made his way down the East Coast and out into the open Atlantic Ocean.

Why it matters

Tracking the movements of apex predators like white sharks provides valuable insights into their migration patterns and behaviors, which can help scientists better understand and protect these important marine species. Webster's journey deep into the open ocean also highlights how little is known about the lives of white sharks when they venture far from coastal areas.

The details

Webster was first tagged by OCEARCH in September 2025 in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. Since then, the organization has been closely tracking his movements via satellite pings. In late January, Webster traveled north briefly before heading out into the deeper waters of the open Atlantic, where he was recently detected about 425 miles off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida. OCEARCH researchers say that the open ocean is often considered a "biological desert" due to low nutrient levels, but apex predators like Webster may seek out temporary feeding grounds in the form of rotating water masses known as eddies.

  • Webster was tagged by OCEARCH in September 2025 in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia.
  • In late January, Webster traveled north briefly before heading out into the deeper waters of the open Atlantic.
  • On February 27, 2026, Webster was tracked approximately 425 miles off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The players

OCEARCH

A global nonprofit organization dedicated to researching and protecting sharks, whales, sea turtles, and other ocean life, tagging these animals to track and study their migration habits and behaviors from afar.

Webster

An adult male white shark, weighing a little over 1,000 pounds and just over 12 feet long, that was tagged by OCEARCH in September 2025 and has since been closely tracked as he has traveled down the East Coast and out into the open Atlantic Ocean.

John Tyminski

The senior data scientist for OCEARCH, who provided insights into why white sharks like Webster may venture into the open ocean.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Much of the open ocean is almost devoid of life, and considered a biological desert. That's largely due to low nutrient levels.”

— John Tyminski, Senior Data Scientist, OCEARCH

What’s next

OCEARCH will continue to monitor Webster's movements using their global shark tracker to further their research into the migration patterns and behaviors of white sharks.

The takeaway

Tracking the journeys of apex predators like the white shark provides valuable scientific insights, even when they venture far from coastal areas and into the open ocean, which is still largely unexplored territory for researchers.