In April 2023, fishermen off Spain’s eastern coast made an unexpected and historic catch.
A juvenile great white shark, just over two meters long and weighing around 80 to 90 kilograms, was accidentally caught within Spain’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the Mediterranean Sea.
Encounters like this are extremely rare, and the discovery immediately caught the attention of scientists.
The young shark’s appearance prompted researchers to take a long look back in time. Led by José Carlos Báez, the team reviewed every known record of great white sharks in Spanish Mediterranean waters from 1862 to 2023.
Their findings were published in the open-access journal Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria and offer one of the most complete pictures to date of this mysterious predator in the region.
Great white sharks are often described as a “ghost” population in the Mediterranean. Sightings are rare, unpredictable, and widely spaced in time. Yet the new review shows that the species has never fully disappeared.
Instead, great whites continue to show up occasionally, quietly maintaining a presence in these waters. Today, the great white shark is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with populations declining worldwide.
What makes this particular case especially important is the shark’s young age. According to Báez, the presence of juvenile individuals raises a key scientific question: are great white sharks still breeding in or near the Mediterranean? If young sharks are appearing locally, it may suggest that reproduction is happening closer than previously thought, rather than all individuals arriving from distant oceans.
The long-term review confirms that sightings in Spanish Mediterranean waters remain exceptional events rather than common occurrences. Still, each record adds an important piece to the puzzle, helping scientists better understand how these sharks use the region and how often they return.
Fear has long shaped public attitudes toward great white sharks. Báez points out that much of this fear comes from the unknown rather than real risk. Clear scientific information, he argues, is the best way to replace myths with understanding. Despite their fearsome reputation, shark attacks are extremely rare, while the ecological role of great whites is profound.
As top predators, great white sharks help keep marine ecosystems balanced. They move across vast distances, redistributing energy and nutrients through the ocean. By feeding on weak or dead animals, they act as natural cleaners of the sea. Even after death, their bodies can sink to the seafloor, delivering vital nutrients to deep-sea life.
With populations under pressure, researchers stress the importance of long-term monitoring, combining historical records, modern sightings, and tracking technology.
The unexpected appearance of a young great white off Spain is not just a rare event—it is a reminder that these iconic animals are still part of the Mediterranean’s living story, and that understanding them is essential for their protection.
