Shellfish ban in select areas due to red tide

MANILA, Philippines – Love shellfish? Better check where they came from before you buy.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) issued a bulletin on Friday, February 23, imposing a shellfish ban in the coastal waters off Alaminos, Pangasinan after shellfish from this area tested positive for paralytic shellfish poisoning, also known as red tide.

This bulletin remains in effect, BFAR staff told Rappler.com as of Monday, February 27. (See copy of the bulletin below)

The BFAR bulletin said the ban also covers:

• Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; 
• Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental; 
• Masinloc Bay in Zambales; 
• Bataan waters of Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Orani, Abucay and Samal; 
• Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar and 
• Bolinao, Anda, Wawa, and Bani in Pangasinan

BFAR said that harvesting, selling, buying and eating shellfish from these areas are prohibited.

“All types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from the areas shown above are not safe for human consumption. Fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption provided they are fresh and washed thoroughly and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking,” the bulletin showed.

Red tide free

The areas indicated in the BFAR Bulletin to be “free from toxic red tide” are the following:

Manila Bay Area:

• Cavite;
• Las Piñas; 
• Parañaque; 
• Navotas;
• Bulacan; and
• Bataan

Bicol Area:

• Milagros and Mandaon in Masbate; 
• Juag Lagoon in Matnog; and
• Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon

Southern Luzon:

• Honda and Puerto Bays in Puerto Princesa City
• Inner Malampaya Sound in Taytay, Palawan

Visayas:

• Pilar, Pres. Roxas, Panay, Roxas City, Ivisan and Sapian in Capiz; 
• E.B. Magalona, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Villadolid, Talisay City, Silay City, Bacolod City, Hinigaran, Cadiz City, Victorias City, Bago City and San Enrique in Negros Occidental; 
• Irong-irong, Maqueda and Villareal Bays in Samar; 
• Ormoc, San Pedro, Cancabato and Carigara Bays in Leyte; and
• Biliran waters in Biliran province

Mindanao: 

• Hinatuan, Bislig and Lianga Bays in Surigao del Sur; and 
• Taguines Lagoon in Benoni Mahinog, Camiguin Island.

– Rappler.com