Maggie's Farm

The White Shark (aka Great White Shark, thanks to Hollywood) is a worldwide critter of primarily temperate coastal areas. They live on fish, and marine mammals when they can find them.

They do not mind cold water or warm water, but just follow the food. Below migration patterns of White Shark in the eastern US.

Most other sharks of the Northeastern US follow similar north-south migration patterns. While never common inland, Long Island Sound hosts Blue Sharks and Hammerhead Sharks in summer months.

Why are we seeing more White Sharks in the Northeaster summers these days? Because of conservation. The US Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 has resulted in dramatic increases in the numbers of Harbor Seals and Grey Seals. These blubbery critters, which can resemble humans in wetsuits, are favorite foods.  

Other conservation efforts, such as limiting the trawler harvests of Menhaden ("Bunker"), have resulted in an abundance of food for sharks, seals, Ospreys, Eagles, porpoises, and dolphin. All of those critters historically lived in the southern New England seacoast.