Effect of iron on the extracellular proteolytic activity of live Uronema marium was determined by fluorescence polarization (FP) method. Supplementation of 0.5 and 5.0 μM iron significantly increased caseinolytic activity of live U. marinum. In contrast, supplementation of 50 μM iron showed no significant differences in FP values compared to the control. The present result suggests that iron in cultured water or skin tissue of olive flounder may influence on the penetration and establishment of U. marinum, correlating with modulation of extracellular protease activity of the ciliates.