On the basis of plasmid composition as well as serological and biochemical properties, 26 strains identified as Vibrio anguillarum isolated from diseased fish could be assigned to two different groups. Except for three reference strains, these strains were isolated from Norwegian fish. The four strains isolated from rainbow trout (Salmo gairdnern), the only strain isolated from char (Salvelinus alpinus), and three of six strains isolated from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) harbored a plasmid of 47 megadaltons (MDa). Restriction endonuclease analysis showed that this plasmid and the virulence plasmid pJMl, carried by V. anguillarum strain 775, were very similar but not identical. Strains harboring the 47-MDa plasmid had nearly identical biochemical properties and were serotype 01. Strains isolated from reared coastal cod (Gadus morhua), turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus), free-living saithe (Pollachius virens), and partly from reared Atlantic salmon differed from strains harboring the 47-MDa virulence plasmid by not containing this plasmid, by having different biochemical traits, and by being serotype 02. Rainbow trout which were experimentally infected with a strain isolated from cod suffering from vibriosis developed clinical symptoms similar to those in cod but quite different from those usually seen in rainbow trout.