RED tide toxins remain in four bays of Samar Island as coastal waters were found positive of shellfish poisoning, said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) this week.
BFAR Regional Director Juan Albaladejo said their office and local government units (LGUs) are closely monitoring violations of shellfish ban, which prohibits gathering, consuming and transporting of shellfishes in affected areas.
Without giving figures, the BFAR in Eastern Visayas said that red tide is still high in shellfish gathered in Matarinao Bay, Cambatutay Bay, Irong Irong Bay, and Calbayog Waters.
Red tide phenomenon has been recurring for the past three years in Matarinao Bay, which is surrounded by the coastal waters of Salcedo, Quinapondan, Gen. Macarthur and Hernani in Eastern Samar.
On July 1, waters of Cambatutay Bay off Tarangnan, Samar were found positive of red tide, which killed two people and brought 22 others in hospitals.
After few days, harmful algae bloom spread to Irong Irong Bay off Catbalogan City and waters of Calbayog City.
“All types of shellfish and Acetes SP or alamang from said areas are not fit for human consumption. Thus, the public is advised to refrain from eating, harvesting, marketing, and buying these products from these four bays until such time that the shellfish toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory level,” Albaladejo said.
The existing ban is likely to remain until at least two weeks after the organism is gone but the fisheries bureau has no way of predicting when that will be.
Fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs are safe to eat, provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and the internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.
The official expects that cooler weather towards the latter part of the year will help dissipate red tide organisms in Samar bays.
He said the phenomenon has no significant impact on Samar’s shellfish trade since affected areas are not major producers of Samar’s green mussel.
In Eastern Visayas, bays that are free from toxic red tides are Carigara Bay, Ormoc Bay, Biliran Strait, San Pedro Bay, Villareal Bay, Maqueda Bay, Cancabato Bay and Sogod Bay; however, the fisheries bureau is still monitoring coastal waters of red tide-free areas since there was history of harmful algae bloom in the past. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)