Red tide trims income of vendors

Shellfish vendors in Pasil and Carbon markets were alarmed by the decrease in their daily income due to reports of red tide contamination that claimed two lives and downed at least 42 people in the town of Argao.

Cebu City market administrator Elpidio dela Victoria said the vendors sought assistance from the city government because few people are now buying shellfish.

Dela Victoria said that at least three restaurants have already refused to buy shellfish from these vendors for lack of an auxiliary permit.

An auxiliary permit is given by the local government unit, which certifies that a certain marine product is fit for human consumption.

The Bureau of Food and Aquatic Resources warned the public to avoid eating tahong or green shells due to reports of red tide contamination in Samar.

But even if the red tide only affects Samar, at least two people have died in Argao reportedly from eating litob, another kind of seashell, which came from Pasil Public Market.

Dela Victoria said that seashell suppliers at Pasil market came from Bohol, Negros Occidental, Masbate, Bantayan Island and Cordova town.

He said he already submitted samples of litob to the BFAR, adding no result has been available as to whether seashell caused the food poisoning in Argao.

Dela Victoria added the vendors were worried because even if BFAR only banned tahong from the market, the public is still reluctant to buy other kinds of seashells, which caused the tremendous drop in their daily earnings. - Mitchelle P. Calipayan