Shellfish ban up in 10 Visayas and Mindanao areas

MANILA, Philippines — Ten bodies of water in the Visayas and Mindanao remain affected by the paralytic shellfish poison or red tide toxin, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

The BFAR said a shellfish ban has been imposed on Carigara Bay in Leyte; Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, and Cambatutay, Maqueda and Irong-Irong bays as well as Daram and Zumarraga islands in Samar.

A similar ban was implemented by concerned local goverment units in Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur, Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur and Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay.

Shellfish samples collected from these areas exceeded the regulatory limit for paralytic shellfish poison.

All types of shellfish including acetes sp or alamang harvested from these areas are not safe for human consumption, the BFAR said.

Fish, squid, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption provided these are fresh, washed thoroughly and their internal organs such as gills and intestines removed before cooking.

Authorities said the occurrence of the red tide toxin is a natural phenomenon.

Consumption of shellfish affected by the red tide toxin causes numbness, drowsiness and respiratory paralysis.