CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Central Luzon has warned the public to stop harvesting and eating shellfish from the coastal waters of this province.

This, after the agency announced through its Shellfish Bulletin No. 31 Series of 2018, which shellfish collected from the coastal waters of Pampanga are still positive from paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond regulatory limit.

“Based on the latest laboratory results of BFAR and the local government unit concerned, all types of of shellfish and Acetes (alamang) gathered from the area are not safe for human consumption due to paralytic shellfish poison,” the bulletin read.

Fish, squids, shrimps and crabs, meanwhile, are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines will be removed before cooking, it added.

Aside from Pampanga’s coastal waters, those of Mariveles, Orion, Balanga, Limay, Pilar, Orani, Abucay and Samal in Bataan province, Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol, Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur, and Puerto Prinsesa Bay and Puerto Prinsesa City in Palawan are also positive for paralytic shellfish poison, the bulletin furthered.

“The public is advised to refrain from eating, gathering or harvesting, transporting and marketing shellfish from the coastal areas in the said areas until such time that the toxicity level has gone below the regulatory limit,” it said.