AbstractThe abundance/biomass comparison (ABC) method, proposed by Warwick (1986) for detecting pollution effects on marine macrobenthic communities, was tested on distribution patterns of numbers and biomass among fish species in regulated and non‐regulated lowland rivers in Belgium. The biomass and abundance of the fish populations were determined by electrofishing. The sample sites represent a range of physically disturbed watercourses, from natural meandering to heavily channelized reaches. Sites upstream and downstream from a polluting discharge were also evaluated. The physical habitat and water quality were measured on each site. Our data show a significant correlation between the qualitatively measured physical habitat and an ABC index, calculated from the ABC graph data. A significant correlation was also found between the pollution level and the ABC index. It is concluded that the ABC method is applicable to the assessment of disturbance in fish communities in rivers, and that the method gives information about both pollution and physical disturbance. The ABC method is a useful instrument to assess the status of a fish community before and after river channel works or natural and human induced river restoration