BFAR raises red tide alert in Naval, Biliran

TACLOBAN CITY — Red tide alert was raised over the coastal waters of Naval in Biliran province after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) found toxins from shellfish meat samples gathered from the bay.

In its advisory issued on Wednesday, the fisheries bureau found that shellfish meat was above the regulatory limit of 49 saxitoxins per 100 grams of shellfish meat.

Saxitoxin is a principal toxin responsible for a human illness known as paralytic shellfish poisoining. Some shellfish can store this toxin for several weeks and very harmful if consumed by humans.

“All types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption,” said BFAR regional director Juan D. Albaladejo.

“Thus, the public is advised to refrain from eating, harvesting, marketing, and buying shellfishes and Acetes sp. from IrongIrong Bay and Cambatutay Bay until such time that the shellfish toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory level,” he added.

Fish from the bay are safe for human consumption so long as they are cleaned and washed thoroughly and internal organs are removed before cooking.

Aside from Naval coastal waters, shellfish ban is also hoisted over coastal waters of Leyte, Leyte; Irong-Irong and Cambatutay Bays in Samar; Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar; and Carigara Bay in Leyte.