Red tide alert up in Medellin brgys

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources declared under red tide alert the coastal areas of Medellin where a 3-year-old boy died after eating a sea urchin that was later found to be positive of the red tide toxin.

BFAR regional director Malcolm Sarmiento issued an advisory warning the people of Medellin constituents to refrain from eating sea urchins in the form of “tihe-tihe,” “kun-kun,” “suwake,” and “tuyom,” as well as shellfish.

The advisory came after BFAR found out that the coastal waters of Medellin is positive of the red tide toxin, or paralytic shellfish poison, with a toxicity level that hits over 5,000 micrograms, far above the normal level of only 40 micrograms and below.

“The public is advised to refrain from eating, gathering or harvesting, transporting and marketing of sea urchins from coastal waters of Medellin, Cebu,” the advisory read, as BFAR said that the public must wait first for the time that the toxicity drops to its normal level.

Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez earlier sent to BFAR samples of the sea urchins that were eaten by the boy, and some of the 15 fishermen from barangay Canhabagat last week.

The boy, after eating the sea urchin, showed symptoms of food poisoning and did not make it alive to a private hospital in town. “The boy was nauseated and was vomiting. He was dead on arrival,” Ramirez said.

Two weeks before the boy’s death, Ramirez said there were 15 fishermen who also experienced similar symptoms before. They however recovered and cured after medication. The findings were that the fishermen had eaten fish containing small doses of cyanide, which might be a result of illegal fishing practices.

The mayor said the shellfish ban will be strictly enforced, particularly over the coastal barangays of Dayhagon, Don Virgilio, Canhabagat, and Tindog.  — Ferliza C. Contratista and Garry B. Lao/RAE