Why Have Great White Sharks Become More Common in Maine’s Waters?

In recent years, Maine has seen an increase in the number of great white sharks swimming off our coastline. In just a week, several people have reported sightings of sharks. It's nothing to panic too much over, but it does raise a bit of concern for people who will be in or on the water.

There never used to be sharks like great whites here in Maine's waters. That just begs the question, why have great white sharks become more common in Maine? For the answer, I turned to MaineCoastIslands.org which has some reasonable theories on what's going on with the sharks.

Several Explanations

There are several reasons why sharks are more prevalent in Maine waters than they used to be. One is that they are coming here for food, especially seals, which are abundant in our coastal waters.

Climate change is also cited as a reason for more sharks. As the oceans warm up to temperatures that sharks prefer, they are willing to travel further in the hunt for food.

There's no solid reason why the sharks are here now, but these theories seem sound.

Shark Attacks

Even though there are great white sharks here in Maine, the threat of attacks is very rare. Sharks typically don't bother humans, but sometimes, they mistake us for seals. Maine has had only one fatal shark attack, which occurred in 2020.

What Do You Do if You See a Shark?

If you see a great white shark, get out of the water without splashing or making fast movements. And above all, don't panic. If you should get attacked by a shark, MaineCoastIslands.org says to:

Strike the shark as hard as you can in the nose, gills, or eyes- anywhere that is soft and sensitive. This will hopefully deter the shark and give you time to get to safety.

Don't let the presence of sharks in Maine's oceans deter you from enjoying your time at the beach. Just make sure to keep an eye out and stay safe.