Leyte: Shellfish meat samples collected from Leyte, Leyte have been found positive for toxic red tide as the condition persists in five bays in Eastern Visayas, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reported on Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the BFAR's main office conducted sampling which revealed paralytic shellfish toxin in the meat samples, prompting the agency to include the area in the national shellfish bulletin. An area is included in this bulletin if both shellfish and seawater samples test positive for the toxic organism.
The four areas newly added to the bulletin are Daram Island in Samar; Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan City in Samar province; Matarinao Bay in General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani, and Salcedo in Eastern Samar; and Biliran Island in Biliran province. Additionally, seawater from San Pedro Bay in Basey and the coastal waters of Calbayog City in Samar were found to contain Pyrodinium bahamense, a dinoflagellate responsible for producing red tide toxin.
The BFAR issued a precautionary warning to the public to refrain from gathering, selling, and consuming all types of shellfish and Acetes sp., locally known as alamang or hipon, from these affected bays. Fish, squid, shrimp, and crabs are deemed safe for human consumption if they are fresh, thoroughly washed, and have their internal organs, such as gills and intestines, removed before cooking.
The fisheries bureau warned that the current seawater condition poses a risk of paralytic shellfish poisoning and potentially death. Nationwide, there are only six bays included in the current national shellfish bulletin, with five located in Eastern Visayas. The other two affected areas are Dumanquilas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur and the coastal waters of Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay.
The BFAR noted that the resurgence of red tide in the region's bays is due to the presence of red tide cysts. Frequent rains may lead to runoff of soil sediments rich in organic load, which fertilizes the red tide cysts and triggers the phenomenon.
