|
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Fisheries bureau warns public of eating shellfish
WITH incessant rains and flashfloods, floodwaters constantly pour into the sea and with these come activation of toxin-producing algae better known as red tide.
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) in Southern Mindanao renewed its warning to the public Tuesday against eating tahong especially those coming from areas with red tide contamination.
Bfar director for Southern Mindanao George Campeon aired the warning Tuesday after several public markets in the cities of Davao and Panabo were discovered selling tahong that are positive of the red tide toxin.
It was learned that the contaminated tahongs came from Irong-irong, Villareal and Masqueda Bays in Samar.
Campeon said Samar is among the red-tide affected areas in the country.
Other areas includes the coastal waters of Mandaon and Milagros in Masbate; Juag Lagoon in Matnog, Sorsogon; Honda Bay in Palawan; Balite Bay in Mati, Davao Oriental; Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; and Bislig Bay in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur.
Bfar issued a Shellfish bulletin on December 14, 2005, which listed both the areas that are positive and those free of the red tide toxin.
Authorities advised vendors in public markets to require first a health certificate from the suppliers of shellfishes to make sure that it is free from the toxin.
Campeon also advised the local government to strictly monitor the entry of tahongs in their area to prevent contaminated tahongs from reaching the markets.
He said many of the tahong suppliers are traveling by night, which is making them easier to get through the monitoring team of Bfar.
Red tide, actually does not have anything to do with the tide, but are really harmful algae; microscopic, single-celled plants that live in the sea.
Most species of algae or phytoplankton are not harmful and serve as the energy producers at the base of the food web.
But occasionally, the algae grow very fast--thus the term bloom--and accumulate in visible patches near the surface of the water.
For "red tide" this involved a certain phytoplankton species that contain reddish pigments and appearing to make the water red.
Scientists now prefer the term "harmful algal bloom" or HAB rather than red tide to refer to this phenomenon.
Various factors caused HABs. These may include: increased levels of nutrients and certain trace metals in the sea water, sewage runoff and other marine pollution, the meeting of two bodies of water with different physical characteristics, ocean salinity and warm sea temperatures, and duration and intensity of sunlight. (BOT with reports from Peng Aliño)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (December 28, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
