Yarrowia (Candida) lipolytica was the predominant organism isolated from the surface film of growth derived from ground hake gurry to which only phosphoric acid was added to give a pH of 4.0. The optimum pH for the crude extracellular protease activity of two distinguishable strains of Y. lipolytica, designated CL1 and CL2, with casein as substrate was 7.0. The optimum temperature of the crude extracellular protease activity from both strains was 50 degrees C. The addition of 2.0% glucose to broth cultures resulted in a significant increase in final cell mass and extracellular protease activity but resulted in a reduction in the units of protease activity per mg of dry cell mass at initial pH values of 5.6 and 7.0 but not an initial pH of 8.0.