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
Climate change effects on North American fish and fisheries to inform adaptation strategies
A global dataset of inland fisheries expert knowledge
The ten steps to responsible Inland fisheries in practice: Reflections from diverse regional case studies around the globe
Twenty-five essential research questions to inform the protection and restoration of freshwater biodiversity
Managing for RADical ecosystem change: Applying the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework
Interacting effects of density-dependent and density-independent factors on growth rates in southwestern Cutthroat Trout populations
How does climate change affect emergent properties of aquatic ecosystems?
A bright spot analysis of inland recreational fisheries in the face of climate change: Learning about adaptation from small successes
Stewardship and management of freshwater ecosystems: From Leopold's land ethic to a freshwater ethic
Culturally diverse expert teams have yet to bring comprehensive linguistic diversity to intergovernmental ecosystem assessments
Creel surveys for social-ecological systems focused fisheries management
Intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of life-history variability for a south-western cutthroat trout
Science and Products
Climate change effects on North American fish and fisheries to inform adaptation strategies
A global dataset of inland fisheries expert knowledge
The ten steps to responsible Inland fisheries in practice: Reflections from diverse regional case studies around the globe
Twenty-five essential research questions to inform the protection and restoration of freshwater biodiversity
Managing for RADical ecosystem change: Applying the Resist-Accept-Direct (RAD) framework
Interacting effects of density-dependent and density-independent factors on growth rates in southwestern Cutthroat Trout populations
How does climate change affect emergent properties of aquatic ecosystems?
A bright spot analysis of inland recreational fisheries in the face of climate change: Learning about adaptation from small successes
Stewardship and management of freshwater ecosystems: From Leopold's land ethic to a freshwater ethic
Culturally diverse expert teams have yet to bring comprehensive linguistic diversity to intergovernmental ecosystem assessments
Creel surveys for social-ecological systems focused fisheries management
Intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of life-history variability for a south-western cutthroat trout
*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