The importance of defining and quantifying ontogenetic movements and connectivity between juvenile and adult fish populations, especially for exploited species, has been well documented. Furthermore, the persistence of strong year‐classes can be used to track the success of regulations that contribute to the increased survival and escapement of fish into the adult population. Size and age structures of Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus were documented within the Tampa Bay estuary, in southwest Florida, using haul seines and trammel nets (1989–2008), and in nearshore Gulf of Mexico waters using a commercial purse seine (2005–2008). In the estuary, juvenile Red Drum (<100‐mm TL) were collected from low‐salinity backwater areas, and peaks in the annual relative abundance were apparent. In the estuary, Red Drum older than age 4 (>800‐mm TL) were rare. Red Drum from nearshore gulf waters ranged from 2 to 35 years of age (674–1,074‐mm TL), but most were greater than age 4. After back‐calculating ages from Red Drum collected in the estuary and in nearshore gulf waters, we found that specific year‐classes of Red Drum, driven by strong juvenile recruitment, were disproportionately represented in the adult spawning stock. We evaluated the long‐term effectiveness of fishing regulations as a tool for rebuilding local adult Red Drum stocks by comparing data on size and age structures with results from earlier research conducted in the same geographic area. Adult Red Drum in nearshore waters off Tampa Bay were significantly longer, heavier, and older than were individuals collected a decade earlier, suggesting rebuilding of local Red Drum stocks. These observations validate the utility of long‐term, multigear monitoring efforts to track populations from the estuary to nearshore coastal waters.Received June 27, 2013; accepted April 1, 2014

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An understanding of lifetime trophic changes and ontogenetic habitat shifts is essential to the preservation of marine fish species. We used carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) recorded within the laminar structure of fish eye lenses, reflecting both diet and location over time, to compare the lifetime trends of 2 demersal mesopredators. Tilefish Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps inhabit burrows on the outer continental shelf, which results in exceptional site fidelity. Red grouper Epinephelus morio are spawned on the middle to outer continental shelf, move to the inner shelf for the juvenile period, and return offshore upon sexual maturity. Both species inhabit the eastern Gulf of Mexico, a region with a distinctive offshore-inshore gradient in background δ13C values. Within individual tilefish (n = 36), sequences of δ13C values and δ15N values had strong, positive correlations with eye-lens diameter, and strong correlations between the 2 isotopes (mean Spearman r = 0.86), reflecting an increase in trophic position with growth and little lifetime movement. In red grouper (n = 30), δ15N values positively correlated with eye-lens diameter, but correlations between δ15N and δ13C were weak (mean Spearman r = 0.29), suggesting cross-shelf ontogenetic movements. Linear mixed model results indicated strong relationships between δ15N and δ13C values in tilefish eye lenses but no convergence in the red grouper model. Collectively, these results are consistent with previously established differences in the life histories of the 2 species, demonstrating the potential utility of eye-lens isotope records, particularly for investigating the life histories of lesser-known species.