The phytoplankton in the tjords of West Spitzbergen was invcstigated from 197ti to l9ti-5. The spring bloom lasted longer than at the Norwegian coast: from mid March to carly June. Thcre is no delay in the onser of the spring bloom in Spitzerbergen fjords relative to fjords of northern Norway. This is probably related to the rapid daylength increasc at high latitudes. Thc phytoplankton species composition during spring u'as comparablc to that along the coast of northcrn N