The diversity and abundance of culturable bacteria in Kongsfjorden water (15 stations) and sediments (12 stations) were studied. Viable numbers ranged between 10(5)-10(6) CFU l(-1) in water and 10(2)-10(4) CFU g(-1) in the sediments. A total of 291 and 43 bacterial isolates were retrieved from the water (KJF) and sediments (FS), respectively. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, the KJF and FS isolates were grouped into 49 and 23 phylotypes, respectively. The KJF and FS phylotypes represented three phyla namely, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria. At the genus level, Flavobacterium and Shewanella and at the species level, Pseudoaltermonas arctica and Colwellia psychrerythraea were dominant in the water and sediments, respectively. Most phylotypes were psychrotolerant with upper growth temperature limit of 25-37 A degrees C and tolerated 0.3-2.5 M NaCl and pH values of 5.0-11.0. Majority of the phylotypes produced one or more of the extracellular hydrolytic enzymes amylase, lipase, caseinase, urease, gelatinase, and DNase at 4 and 18 A degrees C, while none were chitinolytic. Few of the FS phylotypes exhibited extracellular activity only at 4 or 18 A degrees C. Nine FS and 21 KJF isolates were pigmented. The predominant cellular fatty acids were unsaturated, branched, and modified fatty acids, which are unique to cold-adapted bacteria.