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Monday, November 17, 2008
Authorities heighten ban on shellfish
MANILA -- Authorities in Legaspi City have intensified their checkpoint operations in boundaries of Sorsogon and Albay to prevent entry of banned shellfish and other marine products.
The move came after the incident Friday wherein three children died while 24 others from the town of Polangui and Ligao City were hospitalized after eating "tahong" or mussels reportedly contaminated with red tide toxin.
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Initial investigations showed that the mussels were brought by fish dealers from Sorsogon, where shellfish products are abundant.
Albay Governor Joey Salceda then issued an executive order banning the eating and selling of shellfish and other fish products. He also ordered the establishing of checkpoints in all of the province's entry and exit points, and subjected all carriers of marine and fish products to a thorough inspection.
Other government agencies, such as the police, health and fisheries, were also tasked to implement the executive order, directing the confiscation of marine products found to contain the dangerous toxin and to hold and investigate the carriers.
"In the interest of public health, until the BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) lifts the ban on shellfish, all carriers of marine and fish products are subject to inspection at checkpoints in Albay," Salceda said.
He also ordered the provincial social welfare office to provide burial assistance to the families of the three children who died, while the 24 people downed by the poisoning were given free medical treatment in various district and provincial hospitals.
Meanwhile, Deputy Presidential and National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) spokesman Anthony Golez said Sunday that hospitals, especially in the Bicol Region, should stock up medicines for red tide poisoning.
In an interview over Radyo ng Bayan's "Pilipinas, Pilipinas," Golez said this is not the first time a red tide has struck parts of the country and concerned agencies like the Department of Health (DOH) should be prepared and able to handle the situation.
"I have to strengthen the communications plan in the Sorsogon because there has long been a warning from the Bureau of Fisheries that there is red tide there and the DOH has been ordered to have a public health campaign about red tide, especially in the public markets and the people, who like to eat shellfish, which, recently is being banned," Golez said.
The BFAR is being blamed for the incident, with Salceda saying it failed to put up checkpoints with its inefficient and ineffective ban.
However, BFAR Regional Director Dennis del Socorro said his agency has regularly issued advisories, warning the public on the ban on eating, buying, selling and transporting shellfish products contaminated with red tide from Sorsogon and other places.
Del Socorro said the agency has fielded BFAR personnel to coordinate with chief executives of coastal towns in Sorsogon, urging them to closely check the enforcement of the ban order.
"I am appealing to the town mayors to be vigilant in implementing the order and to talk with their fisherfolk and owners of fish cages not to sell and transport their marine products believed to be contaminated with red tide toxin," he said.
He also said that reports have it that some unscrupulous fisherfolks and fish cage operators are transporting and selling their fish products in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces across Bicol.
"I will be advising our BFAR units in other regions to take precautionary steps to check and prevent the entry of marine and other fish products from Sorsogon and Masbate suspected to be contaminated with the toxin," Del Socorro added.
Red tide is an algal bloom in mouths of rivers or seashores caused by a species of dinoflagellates that cause the tide to appear reddish because of their unusual bloom or increase in numbers.
Coastal water pollution produced by humans and systematic increase in seawater temperature appears to be causal factors in red tides. (PNA/JMR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (November 17, 2008 issue)
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