FOR more than two months now, the coastal waters of Pampanga have tested positive for red tide toxins based on monitoring by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
BFAR’s Shellfish Bulletin No. 03 Series of 2019 released on February 7 which noted that the province’s coastal waters “still has 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.
Meanwhile, shellfish samples collected from the waters of Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Orani, Abucay and Samal in Bataan province have already tested negative from the red tide toxin.
Negative results for paralytic shellfish poison were obtained from three consecutive weeks of sampling in the said area, the same bulletin disclosed.
“The public is now informed that harvesting and marketing of shellfishes in the said area, and that it is now safe for public consumption. BFAR, in coordination with the local government units concerned are continuously monitoring the coastal waters of Bataan to safeguard public health and to protect shellfish industry,” it added.