Shark sightings along the eastern U.S. coastlines tend to increase in spring and summer.
More people are at the beach and in the water to see the sharks, and sharks tend to begin migrating up the coast this time of year.
Jon Dodd is the executive director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, a Rhode Island-based nonprofit that dedicates research to answering questions about different shark species.
Dodd joined FOX Weather to discuss recent shark sightings and what impact ocean temperature and weather patterns have on these apex predators.
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Contender, a 14-foot, 1,600-pound great white shark, was tracked by nonprofit OCEARCH off the coast of North Carolina last week. He is OCEARCH's largest adult male white shark on record.
By looking back through Contender's past tracking behavior, it was noticed he began migrating from eastern Florida to the Mid-Atlantic around March and April.
Dodd said all of this is part of routine behavior for great whites and many other shark species this time of year.
"It's primarily water temperature-based," Dodd said. "These sharks are all moving north, the water is getting a little too warm."
He said at this time of year, the sharks start their journey north, seeking cooler waters.
"Starting in September, October we see an equal shift south," Dodd said.
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Great white sharks can live in waters from 50 to 80 degrees Farenheit, and they will migrate to follow water in those temperatures, according to NOAA Fisheries.
Hurricane activity and drastic water shifts also impact shark populations.
"Hurricanes have an interesting impact," Dodd said. "We can see dramatic increases in water temperature, we can also see decreases."
Dodd said most sharks are cold-blooded, meaning they need to seek waters that are comfortable to live in. So, when water drastically shifts in one direction or another, it can be disruptive to sharks.
"Some of these species love to be right along the coast," he said. "They don’t affect those too much."
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But Dodd said the sharks that live out in open waters a little more are more affected by the water changes.
Water temperatures also impact research. Dodd said understanding where sharks are migrating and hanging out helps them to understand their behaviors more and study them better than if they're moving back and forth because of disruptive weather and water.
Click here to learn more about Atlantic Shark Institute.
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