BFAR raises red tide alert over 10 areas across country

Agriculture Department's Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on Wednesday warned affected residents across the country against collecting and eating shellfish from 10 coastal areas due to red tide, or toxic algal blooms infestation.

In its Shellfish Bulletin No. 06, issued on Wednesday, BFAR said that its laboratory tests on shellfishes collected from several coastal waters in the country indicate positive results for paralytic shellfish poison, beyond the regulatory limit.

Red tide-infested coastal waters include those found in the following areas:

1. Inner Malampaya Sound, Taytay in Palawan;
2. Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon;
3. Coastal Waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol;

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4. Tambobo Bay, Siaton in Negros Oriental;
5. Coastal Waters of Calubian, and Cancato Bay, Tacloban City in Leyte;
6. Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur;
7. Murcielagos Bay (Sapang Dalaga and Baliangao) and Coastal Waters of Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental;
8. Taguines Lagoon, Benoni, Mahinog in Camiguin;
9. Balite Bay, Mati City in Davao Oriental; and
10. Lianga Bay and Coastal waters of Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur

BFAR added that all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from the areas indicated are unsafe for human consumption.

On the other hand, fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking. —LBG, GMA News