The aim of this study was to analyse the distribution of 14 diadromous fish at the beginning of the 20th century in western Europe. This study was conducted on a set of 41 water basins. Five environmental variables were selected and we used generalised additive models for explaining the presence absence of species. The richest basins were located in the centre of the study area. Six main assemblage types were identified along a latitudinal gradient; they were constituted of a common species basis but differed by the absence or presence of other species. The 10 single species models produced have moderate to very good discrimination level and they can correctly predict both absence and presence. Temperature is included in all but one model, response curves vary according to the species; surface area is included in six models.