Accurate estimates of exploitation are essential to managing an exploited fishery. However, these estimates are often dependent on the area and vulnerable sizes of fish considered in a study. High‐reward tagging studies offer a simple and direct approach to estimating exploitation rates at these various scales and in examining how model parameters impact exploitation rate estimates. These methods can ultimately provide a better understanding of the spatial dynamics of exploitation at smaller local and regional scales within a fishery—a measure often needed for more site‐attached species, such as the Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus. We used this approach to tag 724 Red Snapper during 2016 in the Alabama Artificial Reef Zone within the northern Gulf of Mexico to estimate recreational exploitation rates in Alabama waters. We fitted a series of tag return models, analyzed using maximum likelihood, to examine how release depth, movement between depth strata, fish length, and the rate at which anglers released fish impacted estimates of exploitation rate under a range of assumed natural and tagging mortality rates. Our model results suggested higher fishing mortality in the shallower depth stratum than in the deep stratum, constant movement rates with release depth, and constant release rates across fish lengths. Exploitation rate for the aggregate tagged population across the entire sample area was estimated at 0.14. Exploitation rates estimated for each depth stratum were 0.20 (shallow stratum: <36.5 m) and 0.06 (deep stratum: 36.5–61.0 m). In addition, length‐based vulnerability to harvest was dome‐shaped, with peak exploitation rates of 0.37 (shallow stratum) and 0.12 (deep stratum) occurring at 600–700 mm TL. Although previous studies have suggested higher exploitation rates in shallower waters compared to deeper waters, few estimates exist at these smaller spatial scales.

Understanding the population structure of a species is important to accurately assess its conservation status and manage the risk of local extinction. The Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) faces varying levels of exploitation around the world due to its coastal distribution. Information regarding population connectivity is crucial to evaluate its conservation status and local fishing impacts. In this study, we sampled 922 putative Bull Sharks from 19 locations in the first global assessment of population structure of this cosmopolitan species. Using a recently developed DNA-capture approach (DArTcap), samples were genotyped for 3,400 nuclear markers. Additionally, full mitochondrial genomes of 384 Indo-Pacific samples were sequenced. Reproductive isolation was found between and across ocean basins (eastern Pacific, western Atlantic, eastern Atlantic, Indo-West Pacific) with distinct island populations in Japan and Fiji. Bull Sharks appear to maintain reproductive connectivity using shallow coastal waters as dispersal corridors, whereas large oceanic distances and historical land-bridges act as barriers. Females tend to return to the same area for reproduction, making them more susceptible to local threats and an important focus for management actions. Given these behaviours, the exploitation of Bull Sharks from insular populations, such as Japan and Fiji, may instigate local decline that cannot readily be replenished by immigration, which can in turn affect ecosystem dynamics and functions. These data also supported the development of a genetic panel to ascertain the population of origin, which will be useful in monitoring the trade of fisheries products and assessing population-level impacts of this harvest.