Greater amberjack Seriola dumerili is a highly migratory, reef-associated fish species that has been heavily exploited in the Gulf of Mexico. Stock rebuilding and sustainable management are often compromised by a lack of information on dispersal pathways, ecological connectivity, and source-sink dynamics. To fill out the knowledge gap we have developed and applied biophysical modeling to examine physical, biological, and ecological processes influencing the dispersal and connectivity of larval amberjack, aiming to support optimal assessment and management of the species. In this presentation we will explore how larval behaviors and oceanographic conditions affect population connectivity and larval dispersal within the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) and across the Gulf. We further test a hypothesis that early life survival of the species could be affected by utilizing Sargassum mats as transitional nursery habitats during early life. Findings on spatial patterns of dispersal and the modifications on population connectivity in the Gulf due to associations with Sargassum habitat contribute to efforts in mitigating exploitation impacts and identifying critical nursery habitats for this valuable fisheries resource.