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
The role of fish in a globally changing food system
Assessing the global distribution of river fisheries harvest: A systematic map protocol
Early-career experts essential for planetary sustainability
Inland fisheries – Invisible but integral to the UN Sustainable Development Agenda for ending poverty by 2030
Global synthesis of the documented and projected effects of climate change on inland fishes
Editorial
Designing a global assessment of climate change on inland fishes and fisheries: knowns and needs
Grand challenges in the management and conservation of North American inland fishes and fisheries
Comparing stream-specific to generalized temperature models to guide salmonid management in a changing climate
Twitter predicts citation rates of ecological research
Adapting inland fisheries management to a changing climate
Identifying alternate pathways for climate change to impact inland recreational fishers
Science and Products
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The role of fish in a globally changing food system
Applied research and adaptive management techniques can assist with the necessary evolution of sustainable food systems to include a stronger emphasis on fish and other aquatic organisms. Fish provide key macro‐ and micronutrients and protein, are low in saturated fat, and have been linked to a wide array of health benefits for the developing fetus, infants, and adults. Diet quality is not only imAuthorsAbigail J. Lynch, J. Randy MacMillanAssessing the global distribution of river fisheries harvest: A systematic map protocol
BackgroundAlthough surface freshwater comprises < 0.01% of the total water volume of earth, freshwater inland capture fisheries and aquaculture represent 40% of the global reported finfish harvest. While the social, economic, and ecological importance of inland fish and fisheries is difficult to overstate, they are often undervalued and underappreciated. Accurate information about these highly disAuthorsChelsie Romulo, Zeenatul Basher, Abigail Lynch, Yu-Chun Kao, William W. TaylorEarly-career experts essential for planetary sustainability
Early-career experts can play a fundamental role in achieving planetary sustainability by bridging generational divides and developing novel solutions to complex problems. We argue that intergenerational partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration among early-career experts will enable emerging sustainability leaders to contribute fully to a sustainable future. We review 16 international, intAuthorsMichelle Lim, Abigail J. Lynch, Alvaro Fernández-Llamazares, Lenke Balint, Zeenatul Basher, Ivis Chan, Pedro Jaureguiberry, A.A.A. Mohamed, Tuyeni H. Mwampamba, Ignacio Palomo, Patricio Pliscoff, R.A. Salimov, Aibek Samakov, Odirilwe Selomane, Uttam B. Shrestha, Anna A. SidorovichInland fisheries – Invisible but integral to the UN Sustainable Development Agenda for ending poverty by 2030
The United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development defines the formidable challenge of integrating historically separate economic, social, and environmental goals into a unified ‘plan of action for people, planet, and prosperity.’ We highlight the substantial contribution inland fisheries can make towards preventing increased poverty and, in some cases, alleviating poverty (i.e. addrAuthorsAbigail Lynch, I.G. Cowx, Etienne Fluet-Chouinard, S. M. Glaser, Sui C. Phang, T. Douglas Beard, S. D. Bower, J.L. Brooks, David B. Bunnell, Julie Claussen, S. J. Cooke, Yu-Chun Kao, Kai Lorenzen, Bonnie Myers, Andrea J. Reid, J. J. Taylor, S. YounGlobal synthesis of the documented and projected effects of climate change on inland fishes
Although climate change is an important factor affecting inland fishes globally, a comprehensive review of how climate change has impacted and will continue to impact inland fishes worldwide does not currently exist. We conducted an extensive, systematic primary literature review to identify English-language, peer-reviewed journal publications with projected and documented examples of climate chanAuthorsBonnie Myers, Abigail Lynch, David B. Bunnell, Cindy Chu, Jeffrey A. Falke, Ryan Kovach, Trevor J. Krabbenhoft, Thomas J. Kwak, Craig P. PaukertEditorial
No abstract available.AuthorsAbigail Lynch, R. G. Asch, William W. L. Cheung, Craig P. Paukert, Ryan R. Rykaczewski, Warwick H. H. SauerDesigning a global assessment of climate change on inland fishes and fisheries: knowns and needs
To date, there are few comprehensive assessments of how climate change affects inland finfish, fisheries, and aquaculture at a global scale, but one is necessary to identify research needs and commonalities across regions and to help guide decision making and funding priorities. Broadly, the consequences of climate change on inland fishes will impact global food security, the livelihoods of peopleAuthorsCraig P. Paukert, Abigail J. Lynch, T. Douglas Beard, Yushun Chen, Steven J. Cooke, Michael S. Cooperman, Ian G. Cowx, Dana M. Infante, Lilian Ibengwe, Bonnie Myers, Phu Hoa Nguyen, Ian J. WinfieldGrand challenges in the management and conservation of North American inland fishes and fisheries
Even with long-standing management and extensive science support, North American inland fish and fisheries still face many conservation and management challenges. We used a grand challenges approach to identify critical roadblocks that if removed would help solve important problems in the management and long-term conservation of North American inland fish and fisheries. We identified seven grand cAuthorsAbigail Lynch, Steven J. Cooke, T. Douglas Beard, Yu-Chun Kao, Kai Lorenzen, Andrew M. Song, Micheal S. Allen, Zeenatul Basher, David B. Bunnell, Edward V. Camp, Ian G. Cowx, Jonathan A. Freedman, Vivian M. Nguyen, Joel K. Nohner, Mark W. Rogers, Zachary A. Siders, William W. Taylor, So-Jung YounComparing stream-specific to generalized temperature models to guide salmonid management in a changing climate
Global climate change is predicted to increase air and stream temperatures and alter thermal habitat suitability for growth and survival of coldwater fishes, including brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis), brown trout (Salmo trutta), and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In a changing climate, accurate stream temperature modeling is increasingly important for sustainable salmonid management throAuthorsAndrew K. Carlson, William W. Taylor, Kelsey M. Hartikainen, Dana M. Infante, T. Douglas Beard, Abigail LynchTwitter predicts citation rates of ecological research
The relationship between traditional metrics of research impact (e.g., number of citations) and alternative metrics (altmetrics) such as Twitter activity are of great interest, but remain imprecisely quantified. We used generalized linear mixed modeling to estimate the relative effects of Twitter activity, journal impact factor, and time since publication on Web of Science citation rates of 1,599AuthorsBrandon K. Peoples, Stephen R. Midway, Dana K. Sackett, Abigail Lynch, Patrick B. CooneyAdapting inland fisheries management to a changing climate
Natural resource decision makers are challenged to adapt management to a changing climate while balancing short-term management goals with long-term changes in aquatic systems. Adaptation will require developing resilient ecosystems and resilient management systems. Decision makers already have tools to develop or ensure resilient aquatic systems and fisheries such as managing harvest and riparianAuthorsCraig P. Paukert, Bob A. Glazer, Gretchen J. A. Hansen, Brian J. Irwin, Peter C. Jacobson, Jeffrey L. Kershner, Brian J. Shuter, James E. Whitney, Abigail J. LynchIdentifying alternate pathways for climate change to impact inland recreational fishers
Fisheries and human dimensions literature suggests that climate change influences inland recreational fishers in North America through three major pathways. The most widely recognized pathway suggests that climate change impacts habitat and fish populations (e.g., water temperature impacting fish survival) and cascades to impact fishers. Climate change also impacts recreational fishers by influencAuthorsLen M. Hunt, Eli P. Fenichel, David C. Fulton, Robert Mendelsohn, Jordan W. Smith, Tyler D. Tunney, Abigail J. Lynch, Craig P. Paukert, James E. Whitney - Web Tools
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*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