Objective: We identified spatial and temporal variation in population trends for Gulf Sturgeon Acipenser desotoi (previously known as Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) across the species’ range to inform recovery strategies. We also assessed whether adult survival or recruitment more strongly influences population change. Methods: We analyzed adult Gulf Sturgeon capture–recapture data from 1990 to 2022 across seven Gulf of Mexico river systems. Using temporal symmetry models and fixed estimates of adult survival from a companion study, we estimated seniority probability (γi + 1), capture probability (p), recruitment (f), and population growth rate (λ) for adult fish. Models were compared using Akaike information criterion adjusted for small sample sizes, and parameter estimates were derived at both river-specific and rangewide scales. Results: Adult survival (φ) was the primary driver of λ across the species’ range, with γ consistently >0.5 in most rivers and time periods. While rangewide λ suggested stable or slightly increasing adult populations, river-level trends varied. Recent declines in λ and f were observed in the Escambia, Apalachicola, and Suwannee rivers—systems affected by red tide, hurricanes, or oil exposure following the Deepwater Horizon spill. Capture probabilities remained low across rivers and time periods. Conclusions: Long-term recovery of Gulf Sturgeon is likely more sensitive to adult survival than recruitment to the adult population. Population trajectories differ across rivers and may reflect both demographic changes and inconsistencies in monitoring. Restoring consistent, standardized adult monitoring in select rivers will improve the ability to detect meaningful trends and guide conservation efforts focused on minimizing adult mortality.

Objective: Competition over resource access can drive conflict between commercial fishers and recreational anglers, especially when fish stocks are declining. This study presents a spatially explicit integrative assessment of Northern Pike Esox lucius fisheries across five major brackish lagoons around Rügen Island (Germany) in the southern Baltic Sea, combining social and ecological indicators of status and trends. Methods: We combined an extensive mark–recapture-based approach with catch-curve analysis to estimate spatially differentiated, user-group-specific fishing mortality rates, as well as natural mortality rates acting on the coastal pike across five lagoons. Using surveys, we assessed the preferences of fishers and anglers for different lagoons as a measure of their social desirability. Additionally, we examined long-term commercial landings as a coarse indicator of stock trends. Finally, we formed a composite index combining spatially explicit social–ecological use and status indicators to provide an integrative perspective. Results: Current fishing pressure on pike as assessed by captures was similar for anglers and commercial fishers, with an annual potential instantaneous fishing mortality rate F of 0.10 (∼9.5% per year) for each sector. However, when considering only retained fish due to widespread catch-and-release practices by anglers, commercial fishers removed approximately twice as many pike as anglers did during the study period (2020–2022). Spatial analyses revealed pronounced differences in fishing and natural mortality rates among lagoons, while the long-term trend in commercial landings suggested a declining pike population. Integration of the various indicators revealed that the largest lagoon in the study area, the Greifswalder Bodden, exhibited the largest number of threats. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that a combination of lagoon-specific management measures tailored to either commercial or recreational fisheries, embedded in an ecosystem-based management approach, may be necessary to recover the pike fishery, which is currently showing strong stock declines. Implementing such measures can reduce conflicts between user groups, protect and recover pike stocks, and ensure sustainable benefits for both commercial and recreational fisheries.