Cryptic structure and diversity of lake whitefish ( Coregonus clupeaformis) in Ontario waters

Microsatellite markers were used to assess the genetic population structure of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) in Ontario waters. Within eastern Lake Ontario, fish from Chaumont Bay, New York were differentiated from spawning aggregations in the Bay of Quinte and the south shore of Prince Edward County. Non-significant differences were found among temporal sampling replicates, suggesting that the pattern of genetic variation detected is temporally stable. These same genetic tools were used to assess the distinct population status of Lake Simcoe lake whitefish under the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) guidelines. Although there was marked differentiation among populations from across Ontario, the Lake Simcoe population was no more genetically differentiated than any other population, suggesting that a distinct status is not warranted. This work provides key information for fisheries management and a framework for assessing hierarchical genetic diversity in exploited lake whitefish populations across Ontario.