NOVELTY - Isolated alginase or alginases selected from AlgA, AlgB, AlgC, AlgD, AlgE, AlgF, AlgG, AlgH, AlgI, AlgJ, or AlgK, are new.    USE - The alginases are useful for degrading alginate, where the alginases are preferably administered to a cystic fibrosis patient to degrade viscous polymer produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or applied directly to algae. The alginase-producing bacterium Saccharophagus degradans (Microbulbifer degradans) strain 2-40 can also be applied to algae to cause the algae to be degraded. The alginases or bacterium are preferably applied in a marine environment, and may be applied under water. (All claimed). Potential uses of the alginases and bacterium include uses in bioremediation e.g. in degrading agricultural, aquacultural and algacultural wastes including recalcitrant complex carbohydrates (cellulose, chitin and agar). They may also have uses in production of food, beer, wine, animal feeds, in textile production and laundering, and in pulp and paper production.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) an isolated polynucleotide that encodes an amino acid sequence of at least one alginase selected from AlgA, AlgB, AlgC, AlgD, AlgE, AlgF, AlgG, AlgH, AlgI, AlgJ, or AlgK;    (2) an isolated polypeptide system comprising at least two alginases selected from AlgA, AlgB, AlgC, AlgD, AlgE, AlgF, AlgG, AlgH, AlgI, AlgJ, or AlgK;    (3) an isolated polynucleotide complementary to at least one of the polynucleotides under a stringency condition of 1-10xSSC;    (4) a chimeric gene comprising at least one polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of the alginases above, where the gene is operably linked to regulatory sequences that allow expression of the amino acid sequence in a host cell;    (5) a vector comprising the chimeric gene or at least one polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of at least one of the alginases above;    (6) a combination of an algal, plant, or invertebrate source with the isolated polypeptide system;    (7) a host cell comprising the isolated polynucleotide;    (8) an isolated AlgF;    (9) treating (M1) a cystic fibrosis patient by administering at least one of the alginases to the patient to degrade viscous polymer produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa;    (10) degrading (M2) alginate by applying at least one of the alginases to the alginate material;    (11) a method (M3) comprising growing Saccharophagus degradans (Microbulbifer degradans) strain 2-40 in a culture and then spreading the 2-40 onto algae so that the 2-40 continues to grow and causes the algae to be degraded; and    (12) a kit comprising a sealed container containing at least one alginase selected from AlgA, AlgB, AlgC, AlgD, AlgE, AlgF, AlgG, AlgH, AlgI, AlgJ, or AlgK.