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 the U.S. Inland Creel & Angler Survey Catalog (CreelCat), an Associate Editor for Fisheries Management and Ecology, and an Editorial Board member for Sustainability Science.
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, Lead Author, Programmatic Review Panelist)
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
CASC Fish Research
Science to Action Fellowship Science to Action Fellowship
Webinar: The RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) Climate Adaptation Framework
Informing Mekong River Basin Resiliency and Climate Adaptation
Diverse Knowledge Systems (DKS) for Climate Adaptation Fellowship
“Climate-Smart” Fisheries and Aquaculture to Support Resilient Aquatic Ecosystems in Vietnam
The U.S. Inland Creel and Angler Survey Catalog (CreelCat): A Database and Interactive Tool for Inland Fisheries Management and Research (Depreciated April 2023) The U.S. Inland Creel and Angler Survey Catalog (CreelCat): A Database and Interactive Tool for Inland Fisheries Management and Research (Depreciated April 2023)
FiCli: Fish and Climate Change Database (ver. 3.0, October 2024) FiCli: Fish and Climate Change Database (ver. 3.0, October 2024)
Fish and Climate Change (FiCli) Database: Informing climate change adaptation and management actions for freshwater fishes Fish and Climate Change (FiCli) Database: Informing climate change adaptation and management actions for freshwater fishes
High-Resolution Georeferenced Major Rivers Point Data, Spaced in 150m intervals High-Resolution Georeferenced Major Rivers Point Data, Spaced in 150m intervals
Action in uncertainty: Data-driven decisions that acknowledge emotional responses and transcendental connections Action in uncertainty: Data-driven decisions that acknowledge emotional responses and transcendental connections
Linking community-climate disequilibrium to ecosystem function Linking community-climate disequilibrium to ecosystem function
Best practices for understanding recreational fishers Best practices for understanding recreational fishers
Complexity and integration of recreational fisheries Complexity and integration of recreational fisheries
Preface Preface
Global recreational consumption of non-native inland fish: Higher economic benefits, but lower nutritional value and climate resilience Global recreational consumption of non-native inland fish: Higher economic benefits, but lower nutritional value and climate resilience
Science and Products
CASC Fish Research
Science to Action Fellowship Science to Action Fellowship
Webinar: The RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) Climate Adaptation Framework
Informing Mekong River Basin Resiliency and Climate Adaptation
Diverse Knowledge Systems (DKS) for Climate Adaptation Fellowship
“Climate-Smart” Fisheries and Aquaculture to Support Resilient Aquatic Ecosystems in Vietnam
The U.S. Inland Creel and Angler Survey Catalog (CreelCat): A Database and Interactive Tool for Inland Fisheries Management and Research (Depreciated April 2023) The U.S. Inland Creel and Angler Survey Catalog (CreelCat): A Database and Interactive Tool for Inland Fisheries Management and Research (Depreciated April 2023)
FiCli: Fish and Climate Change Database (ver. 3.0, October 2024) FiCli: Fish and Climate Change Database (ver. 3.0, October 2024)
Fish and Climate Change (FiCli) Database: Informing climate change adaptation and management actions for freshwater fishes Fish and Climate Change (FiCli) Database: Informing climate change adaptation and management actions for freshwater fishes
High-Resolution Georeferenced Major Rivers Point Data, Spaced in 150m intervals High-Resolution Georeferenced Major Rivers Point Data, Spaced in 150m intervals
Action in uncertainty: Data-driven decisions that acknowledge emotional responses and transcendental connections Action in uncertainty: Data-driven decisions that acknowledge emotional responses and transcendental connections
Linking community-climate disequilibrium to ecosystem function Linking community-climate disequilibrium to ecosystem function
Best practices for understanding recreational fishers Best practices for understanding recreational fishers
Complexity and integration of recreational fisheries Complexity and integration of recreational fisheries
Preface Preface
Global recreational consumption of non-native inland fish: Higher economic benefits, but lower nutritional value and climate resilience Global recreational consumption of non-native inland fish: Higher economic benefits, but lower nutritional value and climate resilience
*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