Samar: The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has confirmed the presence of toxic red tide in the coastal waters of Daram, Samar, following an examination by the agency's national laboratory. This discovery has led BFAR to implement a shellfish ban in the seawaters of Daram town, advising against the collection, sale, or consumption of any shellfish, including small shrimps.

According to Philippines News Agency, the coastal waters of Daram, along with four other bays in the country, have been listed in the national shellfish bulletin. These areas have been identified as having confirmed red tide presence through laboratory tests of shellfish meat samples. Previously, a shellfish ban was also imposed in Matarinao Bay, General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani, and Salcedo in Eastern Samar after samples from these areas tested positive for red tide.

The BFAR has stated that fish, squid, shrimp, and crabs collected from these areas are safe to eat, provided they are fresh, thoroughly washed, and their internal organs, such as gills and intestines, are removed before cooking. The agency emphasized the importance of these precautions to safeguard human health.

In its shellfish bulletin, BFAR advised the public to avoid gathering, selling, and consuming all types of shellfish and Acetes sp., locally known as alamang or hipon, from the affected bays. The agency warned that the current seawater conditions could lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning and potentially result in fatalities.

Other bays listed in the national shellfish bulletin include Dumanquilas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, the coastal waters of Bolinao and Anda in Pangasinan, and Tantangan Bay in Zamboanga Sibugay. BFAR explained that the reoccurrence of red tide cysts is attributed to frequent rains that cause runoff of organic-rich sediments, which in turn fertilize the cysts.