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
Global Assessment of River Fish Production and Potential Global Change Implications
Science to Action Fellowship (S2A) (2015 - 2023)
Science to Action (S2A) Fellowship (2024 to Present)
Towards vibrant fish populations and sustainable fisheries that benefit all: Learning from the last 30 years to inform the next 30 years Towards vibrant fish populations and sustainable fisheries that benefit all: Learning from the last 30 years to inform the next 30 years
Density effects on native and non-native trout survival in streams Density effects on native and non-native trout survival in streams
Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery
Global dataset of species-specific inland recreational fisheries harvest for consumption Global dataset of species-specific inland recreational fisheries harvest for consumption
Asking nicely: Best practices for requesting data Asking nicely: Best practices for requesting data
Characterizing mauka-to-makai connections for aquatic ecosystem conservation on Maui, Hawaiʻi Characterizing mauka-to-makai connections for aquatic ecosystem conservation on Maui, Hawaiʻi
Overturning stereotypes: The fuzzy boundary between recreational and subsistence inland fisheries Overturning stereotypes: The fuzzy boundary between recreational and subsistence inland fisheries
Reducing uncertainty in climate change responses of inland fishes: A decision-path approach Reducing uncertainty in climate change responses of inland fishes: A decision-path approach
Societal values of inland fishes Societal values of inland fishes
A future for the inland fish and fisheries hidden within the sustainable development goals 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 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 A Resist-Accept-Direct decision-support tool for walleye Sander vitreus (Mitchill) management in Wisconsin
Science and Products
Global Assessment of River Fish Production and Potential Global Change Implications
Science to Action Fellowship (S2A) (2015 - 2023)
Science to Action (S2A) Fellowship (2024 to Present)
Towards vibrant fish populations and sustainable fisheries that benefit all: Learning from the last 30 years to inform the next 30 years Towards vibrant fish populations and sustainable fisheries that benefit all: Learning from the last 30 years to inform the next 30 years
Density effects on native and non-native trout survival in streams Density effects on native and non-native trout survival in streams
Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery Socioeconomic resilience to climatic extremes in a freshwater fishery
Global dataset of species-specific inland recreational fisheries harvest for consumption Global dataset of species-specific inland recreational fisheries harvest for consumption
Asking nicely: Best practices for requesting data Asking nicely: Best practices for requesting data
Characterizing mauka-to-makai connections for aquatic ecosystem conservation on Maui, Hawaiʻi Characterizing mauka-to-makai connections for aquatic ecosystem conservation on Maui, Hawaiʻi
Overturning stereotypes: The fuzzy boundary between recreational and subsistence inland fisheries Overturning stereotypes: The fuzzy boundary between recreational and subsistence inland fisheries
Reducing uncertainty in climate change responses of inland fishes: A decision-path approach Reducing uncertainty in climate change responses of inland fishes: A decision-path approach
Societal values of inland fishes Societal values of inland fishes
A future for the inland fish and fisheries hidden within the sustainable development goals 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 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 A Resist-Accept-Direct decision-support tool for walleye Sander vitreus (Mitchill) management in Wisconsin
*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