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
Diverse Knowledge Systems (DKS) for Climate Adaptation Fellowship
Informing Mekong River Basin Resiliency and Climate Adaptation
“Climate-Smart” Fisheries and Aquaculture to Support Resilient Aquatic Ecosystems in Vietnam
Evaluating How Changing Climate and Water Clarity Can Affect Restoration of Native Coregonine Fish in Midwestern Lakes
Developing an Indicator of Species Vulnerability to Climate Change to Support a Consistent Nationwide Approach to Assessing Vulnerability
Connecting Ecosystems from Mountains to the Sea in a Changing Climate
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
Reframing fish passage prioritization for human nutrition outcomes Reframing fish passage prioritization for human nutrition outcomes
RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) switch points and triggers for adaptation planning RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) switch points and triggers for adaptation planning
Perceptions of climate vulnerability for subsistence inland fisheries in the United States Perceptions of climate vulnerability for subsistence inland fisheries in the United States
Integrating the resist–accept–direct framework into natural resource decision-making processes for climate adaptation Integrating the resist–accept–direct framework into natural resource decision-making processes for climate adaptation
Ecological acclimation: A framework to integrate fast and slow responses to climate change Ecological acclimation: A framework to integrate fast and slow responses to climate change
Opportunities to better integrate inland fish and fisheries in multilateral environmental agreements Opportunities to better integrate inland fish and fisheries in multilateral environmental agreements
Science and Products
Diverse Knowledge Systems (DKS) for Climate Adaptation Fellowship
Informing Mekong River Basin Resiliency and Climate Adaptation
“Climate-Smart” Fisheries and Aquaculture to Support Resilient Aquatic Ecosystems in Vietnam
Evaluating How Changing Climate and Water Clarity Can Affect Restoration of Native Coregonine Fish in Midwestern Lakes
Developing an Indicator of Species Vulnerability to Climate Change to Support a Consistent Nationwide Approach to Assessing Vulnerability
Connecting Ecosystems from Mountains to the Sea in a Changing Climate
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
Reframing fish passage prioritization for human nutrition outcomes Reframing fish passage prioritization for human nutrition outcomes
RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) switch points and triggers for adaptation planning RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) switch points and triggers for adaptation planning
Perceptions of climate vulnerability for subsistence inland fisheries in the United States Perceptions of climate vulnerability for subsistence inland fisheries in the United States
Integrating the resist–accept–direct framework into natural resource decision-making processes for climate adaptation Integrating the resist–accept–direct framework into natural resource decision-making processes for climate adaptation
Ecological acclimation: A framework to integrate fast and slow responses to climate change Ecological acclimation: A framework to integrate fast and slow responses to climate change
Opportunities to better integrate inland fish and fisheries in multilateral environmental agreements Opportunities to better integrate inland fish and fisheries in multilateral environmental agreements
*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