Alginate, which is mainly produced by brown algae and decomposed by heterotrophic bacteria, is an important marine organic carbon source. The genus contains diverse forms of heterotrophic bacteria that are widely distributed in marine environments and are an important group in alginate degradation. In this review, the diversity of alginate-degrading is introduced, and the characteristics of alginate lyases, including their sequences, enzymatic properties, structures, and catalytic mechanisms, and the synergistic effect of alginate lyases on alginate degradation are introduced. The acquisition of the alginate degradation capacity and the alginate utilization pathways of are also introduced. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of alginate degradation by which will contribute to the understanding of the degradation and recycling of marine algal polysaccharides driven by marine bacteria.