FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE,MOA,TAIWAN

Seawater samples were collected from different sites and depths off Taitung. The aerobic and facultativly anaerobic, heterotrophic bacteria were counted, isolated and purified immediately in a microbial laboratory of the research vessel. Isolated bacteria were identified according to the 16S rRNA gene sequences. The total viable bacterial counts in depths of 285, 740 and 912 m were 285 ± 13, 69 ± 21, 90 ± 19 and 32 ± 7 CFU/ml, respectively. To analyze the bacteria composition, 60 bacteria were selected randomly from samples of the four depths (15 for each) and purified. They were classified to 3 phyla, 4 classes, 7 orders, 10 families, 18 genera and 29 species. There were 3 strains that could not identify by 16S rRNA gene sequence. The so called “harmful bacteria” according to APHA were not detected. However, the ones which have been previously published as pathogens, such as Vibrio harveyi, V. fortis and V. splendidus can be found even in the depth of 912 m. The bacteria with unusual enzyme activities, such as Agarivorans albus, Alteromonas luteoviolacea, and Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis can also be isolated from the deep seawater off Taitung.