Release of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) from dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP), concentrated by reverse osmosis of water samples from Lough Neagh Northern Ireland, was measured in the presence of enzymes and cultures of lake water bacteria in a basal liquid medium adjusted to the pH of lake water (7.6). No hydrolysis of unfractionated DOP was observed in the presence of alkaline phosphatase but a combination of alkaline phosphatase and phosphodiesterase mineralized 14% of DOP in a 30 day incubation period at 15 °C. A similar amount of mineralization was attained by phytase. Phytase induced the same degree of mineralization in a range of DOP fractions varying from MW > 100 000 to c. 500. A mixed culture of lake water bacteria mineralized 12% of unfractionated DOP. Single cultures of lake water bacteria displayed low mineralizing activity (mean of 49 cultures = 5% DOP hydrolysed). Results indicate that DOP from Lough Neagh in the above molecular weight range is predominantly recalcitrant to bacterial mineralization under natural lake conditions.