Population dynamics of European lobster (Homarus gammarus) in the Adriatic Sea was assessed using various fisheries biology and population genetics methods. The analysis of European lobster official catch data from 2008 to 2017 showed an increase in landings, fishing effort and catch per unit effort in the northern Adriatic. A positive trend of increasing measured and modelled sea bottom temperature was also recorded. A significant correlation between sea bottom temperature and catch per unit effort in the northern and central Adriatic has been established. Dominance of specimens in the 80 - 120 mm carapace length size classes was observed and individuals below the minimum landing size accounted for 52.83 % of the total sample. Low values of catch per unit effort were recorded, ranging from 4.6 to 239 g/pot with the highest values observed in spring and summer. Smaller individuals inhabit shallower habitats and closer to coast while larger individuals occur farther from coast. Sexual dimorphism in growth was observed with more pronounced increase in weight for males than females, while females have a significantly wider abdomen than males when carapace length exceeds 80 mm. Overfishing, habitat loss and other anthropogenic activities did not significantly affect neutral genetic diversity. The global genetic distance between the studied populations was low (FST = 0.0062). Genetic differentiation was found among populations from different Mediterranean basins, while populations from the Adriatic Sea were panmictic. The average contemporary effective population size (NE) estimated for European lobster populations ranged from 1,560 to 2,094, depending on the method used, with the highest values for populations in the northern Adriatic. Estimates of migration rates indicate that the north-eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea acts as the main source of gene flow, and genetic material can be transferred from 300 to 600 km depending on the pelagic larval duration. This research is the first comprehensive study of the European lobster population status in the Adriatic Sea, the results of which can serve as a basis for sustainable and effective fisheries management of this ecologically and economically important crustacean species.