The data presented here cover ∼4 decades of electrofishing surveys in mainland France rivers. Despite some changes in field protocols and sampling site locations over time, the ASPE database offers a unique set of 47,869 georeferenced and standardised sampling surveys. Fish individuals are identified to species, measured and weighted. Additional information encompasses habitat features as well as “river health” assessment by two fish-based indices. Though preferentially focused on fishes, the surveys also report crayfish data. Numerous studies have been already published using these data, mainly on the fields of macroecology, community and/or population ecology and bioassessment. However, we believe much more knowledge can be gained from the database in fields such as population dynamics or conservation practices in the context of global change.