Data to support Conservation genetics of a freshwater percid, Sander canadensis, in Manitoba, Canada

We used twelve microsatellite loci to resolve genetic diversity and structure of sauger (n= 872) across nine waterbodies in the Nelson-Churchill watershed. Five waterbodies contained low numbers of walleye × sauger hybrids. Overall, genetic diversity were highest in Lake Winnipeg, the largest lake in the watershed, and lowest in Lakes Manitoba and Winnipegosis. Despite their close geographic proximity, genetic differentiation between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba/Lake Winnipegosis were moderately high and were found to have low levels of historical and on-going gene flow. On the other hand, high connectivity, based on low levels of genetic differentiation and high estimates of on-going gene flow were found between Lake Winnipeg and the Red River, Assiniboine River, Lac du Bonnet, and Stephens Lake, which span a larger geographic area but are more connected in the watershed. Clustering and genetic differentiation-based methods indicated that fish in Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba/Lake Winnipegosis belong to different genetic groups, but most individuals from all sites exhibited some level of ancestral admixture, particularly fish sampled in the river systems.