Red tide still up in Mindanao, Visayas provinces

ZAMBOANGA CITY: The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) renewed its public warning on Friday, March 15, that all types of shellfish and Acetes, a genus of small shrimp that resemble krill, gathered from two provinces in Mindanao are not safe for human consumption.

It said Dumanquilas Bay in

Zamboanga del Sur and the coastal waters of San Benito in Surigao del Norte are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) or toxic red tide that is beyond the regulatory limit.

The BFAR said the coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate, coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol, San Pedro Bay in Samar, and Matarinao

Bay in Eastern Samar in the Visayas are also positive for PSP.

“All types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from the areas shown above are not safe for human consumption,” it said, adding 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.

The BFAR first issued the PSP warning in December 2023.

Toxic red tide is caused by harmful algal blooms, which can lead to severe health problems when shellfish and other seafood are contaminated.

Harmful algal blooms occur when colonies of algae — plantlike organisms that live in the sea and freshwater — grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds. The human illnesses caused by harmful algal blooms, though rare, can be debilitating or even fatal.