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Luminescent bacteria can be isolated from sea-water and from sea-fishes. This is the method of isolation of luminescent bacteria from fish:

The sea-fish body should be partially plunged in the salt solution (or sea-water) and stored in the refrigerator (in the temperature 4 - 6°C). After certain time the colonies of luminous bacteria will grow on the surface of fish body. These colonies can be isolated to obtain pure cultures.

(on the base of book "Mokrobiologia ogolna" by H. G. Schleger)

I must say, that I have not applied this method yet and I don't know if this method is effective.

Some of luminescent bacteria can live in symbiosis with marine organisms. For example some species of deep-sea fishes and cuttle-fishes have luminous organs in which luminous bacteria live.

Luminous bacteria can grow in more unusual places too:

• A Canadian was in the mood for a late night snack but lost his appetite when he discovered that the snack was glowing in the dark.
  This man was about to eat a piece of imitation crab meat in his darkened kitchen when he noticed the eerie blue-green luminescence.
  "I ate a chunk in the daytime and there was nothing wrong," the man said.
  A Health Canada food inspector found a luminescent type of bacteria to be the cause for this bizarre incident.
  
  
• Decaying sea-fishes are natural rich medium for luminous bacteria.They can grow on the stored fishes.

• At least one instance of a light producing strain from a wound has been reported.
  
  
• Passengers on board cruise liners are sometimes startled by an eerie phosphorescent glow emitted by seawater flush lavatories. The explanation lies in luminous bacteria, which can find good terms to grow in such places.

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