More Squid on Central Coast Shores Could Mean More Sharks - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. -- An abundance of squid showing up along the Central Coast, could mean more sharks are lurking in our waters. We found out if the squids are the answers to why people are spotting so many sharks off our shores.

Marine experts we spoke with today say it's unusual to have so many sharks and squids in the water in such a short period of time. This year dozens of great white shark sightings along the Central Coast have people asking questions about the increase.

Just yesterday two young Great Whites were caught and released off Manhattan Pier. On Tuesday a man was attacked in Humboldt County across the bay from Eureka. He survived but his surf board paints a scary picture of what could have happened.

Last week, 39-year old Francisco Solorio Junior wasn't as lucky. Solorio was killed off Surf Beach in Santa Barbara by a 16 foot Great White.

Now we may be starting to get a better idea of why so many sharks are coming so close to shore. In the last few days about a 100 Humbolt Squid washed up in Pacific Grove and other Central Coast beaches. Eric Martin is the director of the Roundhouse Marine Studies lab. He says he's never seen so many squid in the water until now. "This year out a lot of years just about half a mile off our pier, there's so much squid," said Martin.

Eric martin, also told Central Coast News he helped catch and release those Great Whites in Manhattan Beach yesterday and said when there's thousands of extra squid in the water that means more food for predators. "We have all that squid, its bringing in other fish to feed on the squid so a food chain is happening because basically everything feeds off squid," said Martin. 

Biologists we talked with today said the reason we could be seeing so many squid in the water may be because of the warmer water temperatures. They also expect to see even more squid show up along Central Coast beaches within the next few weeks.