Shellfish ban lifted in 11 bays of E. Visayas

THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the shellfish ban in Eastern Visayas’s 11 bays was already lifted after the red tide toxin contamination.

In its local shellfish bulletin, the BFAR said, “All types of shellfish gathered from these areas are safe for human consumption. Fish, squid, shrimps, and crabs are safe for eating provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.”

The agency lifted this week the shellfish ban in Eastern Samar’s Matariano Bay after about a year of red tide toxin contamination.

BFAR National Director Malcolm Sarmiento, Jr. said the shellfishes collected from Matariano Bay are now negative from red tide toxin based on the results of red tide monitoring activities.

“Negative results for paralytic shellfish poison were obtained from three consecutive weeks of sampling in the area,” Sarmiento said in his advisory dated March 3.

Albaladejo believed the problem was solved due to heavy rains between December and January.

The shellfish ban took effect March 16, which prohibited people from harvesting, selling, buying and eating shellfish from Matariano Bay along the coastal Eastern Samar towns of Salcedo, Quinapondan, McArthur, and Hernani.

The ban was imposed after 34 people in Salcedo town were reportedly downed from eating mussels from the bay.

Other than Matarinao Bay, the Carigara Bay and Cancabato Bay in Leyte were declared positive of red tide toxins last year. Shellfish ban was lifted in these areas earlier. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)