A bstract Aerial counts of harbor seals ( Pboca vitulina concolor ) on ledges along the Maine coast were conducted during the pupping season in 1981, 1986, 1993, 1997, and 2001. Between 1981 and 2001, the uncorrected counts of seals increased from 10,543 to 38,014, an annual rate of 6.6 percent. In 2001 30 harbor seals were captured and radio‐tagged prior to aerial counts. Of these, 19 harbor seals (six adult males, two adult...