Abigail J. Lynch, Ph.D.
Abigail (Abby) J. Lynch is a Research Fish Biologist with the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center. Abby conducts science and science syntheses on the impacts of global change to inland fishes at local, national, and global scales. Her work aims to inform conservation and sustainable use and to help fishers, managers, and other practitioners adapt to change.
Collaborative Networks
Abby leads the National CASC's aquatics program and co-leads the CASC Fish Research Team. She is adjunct/affiliate faculty at Michigan State University, North Carolina State University, the University of Florida, and the University of Missouri.
She serves as the coordinator for the international 'InFish' research network, a steward for the Fish and Climate Change Database (FiCli), and an Associate Editor for Fisheries Management and Ecology.
Abby received her Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University on climate impacts to Great Lakes Lake Whitefish, M.S. in marine science on Atlantic Menhaden population genetics at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, and B.S. in biology and B.A. in English literature from the University of Virginia. She also served as a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Fisheries Program.
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University
M.S. in Marine Science, College of William & Mary
B.S. in Biology, University of Virginia
B.A. in English, University of Virginia
Affiliations and Memberships*
IUCN Freshwater Fish Specialist Group; IUCN Fisheries Expert Group
IPBES Global and Nexus Assessments (Fellow, Author)
2024 World Fisheries Congress International Program Committee (Co-chair)
UN International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022 (International Steering Committee)
FAO International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability (Advisory Board Member)
American Fisheries Society International Fisheries Section (Past-President)
Honors and Awards
Outstanding Young Alumni Award, Michigan State University College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
Science and Products
Examining Linguistic Diversity Metrics in Intergovernmental Ecosystem Assessments
Making an Invisible Resource Visible: Integrating Inland Fisheries into the Sustainable Development Goals
Impacts of Global Change on Biotic Resistance, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services in Caribbean Fish Assemblages, Fisheries, and Aquatic Ecosystems
National Stream Summarization: Standardizing Stream-Landscape Summaries
Global Analysis of Trends in Projected and Documented Effects of Climate Change on Inland Fish
Assessing the Impact of Future Climate on Hawai‘i’s Aquatic Ecosystems
Evaluating Future Effects of Climate and Land Use on Fisheries Production in Inland Lakes
Fish and Climate Change (FiCli) Database: Informing Climate Change Adaptation and Management Actions for Freshwater Fishes
A Value and Investment Assessment of Marine and Inland Fisheries Globally to Inform Future Resource Management Strategies
Science to Action Fellowship: Supporting Graduate Students to Apply Science to Decision Making and Adaptation
Global Assessment of River Fish Production and Potential Global Change Implications
The Effects of Drought on Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout: The Role of Stream Flow and Temperature
Overturning stereotypes: The fuzzy boundary between recreational and subsistence inland fisheries
Reducing uncertainty in climate change responses of inland fishes: A decision-path approach
Societal values of inland fishes
A future for the inland fish and fisheries hidden within the sustainable development goals
Ecological and social strategies for managing fisheries using the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework
A Resist-Accept-Direct decision-support tool for walleye Sander vitreus (Mitchill) management in Wisconsin
Resisting ecosystem transformation through an intensive whole-lake fish removal experiment
Bright spots for inland fish and fisheries to guide future hydropower development
The U.S. Inland Creel and Angler Survey Catalog (CreelCat): Development, applications, and opportunities
RAD adaptive management for transforming ecosystems
Aquatic foods to nourish nations
COVID-19 influences on US recreational angler behavior
Science and Products
Examining Linguistic Diversity Metrics in Intergovernmental Ecosystem Assessments
Making an Invisible Resource Visible: Integrating Inland Fisheries into the Sustainable Development Goals
Impacts of Global Change on Biotic Resistance, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services in Caribbean Fish Assemblages, Fisheries, and Aquatic Ecosystems
National Stream Summarization: Standardizing Stream-Landscape Summaries
Global Analysis of Trends in Projected and Documented Effects of Climate Change on Inland Fish
Assessing the Impact of Future Climate on Hawai‘i’s Aquatic Ecosystems
Evaluating Future Effects of Climate and Land Use on Fisheries Production in Inland Lakes
Fish and Climate Change (FiCli) Database: Informing Climate Change Adaptation and Management Actions for Freshwater Fishes
A Value and Investment Assessment of Marine and Inland Fisheries Globally to Inform Future Resource Management Strategies
Science to Action Fellowship: Supporting Graduate Students to Apply Science to Decision Making and Adaptation
Global Assessment of River Fish Production and Potential Global Change Implications
The Effects of Drought on Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout: The Role of Stream Flow and Temperature
Overturning stereotypes: The fuzzy boundary between recreational and subsistence inland fisheries
Reducing uncertainty in climate change responses of inland fishes: A decision-path approach
Societal values of inland fishes
A future for the inland fish and fisheries hidden within the sustainable development goals
Ecological and social strategies for managing fisheries using the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework
A Resist-Accept-Direct decision-support tool for walleye Sander vitreus (Mitchill) management in Wisconsin
Resisting ecosystem transformation through an intensive whole-lake fish removal experiment
Bright spots for inland fish and fisheries to guide future hydropower development
The U.S. Inland Creel and Angler Survey Catalog (CreelCat): Development, applications, and opportunities
RAD adaptive management for transforming ecosystems
Aquatic foods to nourish nations
COVID-19 influences on US recreational angler behavior
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government