THE regional office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Davao Region warned the public from consuming shellfish sourced from Balite Bay in Mati City, Davao Oriental as it might be positive of red tide.
“Recently, we have experienced continuous rains. It is during these times that the temperature of the sea rises. Such is where paralytic shellfish poisoning spread and regenerate,” BFAR Chemistry Laboratory Regional Head Maria Loida Avorque said during an interview with SunStar Davao Tuesday, February 28.
It was earlier reported that Balite Bay tested positive for toxic red tide according to shellfish bulletin 6 dated March 2, 2016.
Avorque said they are currently on the third consecutive sampling and the levels of toxins found in the sea are gradually decreasing.
From a dangerously high level, it went to a state of normalcy but she insisted that residents wait for further announcements regarding the red tide situation in Balite Bay.
“We will conduct the fourth testing anytime this week, if it still shows negative, then we will lift the ban on harvesting shellfish,” Avorque said.
Red tide occurs when algae rapidly increase in numbers to the extent that it dominates the local planktonic or benthic community.