TACLOBAN CITY: Cancabato Bay in this city is now affected by toxic red tide as the phenomenon persists in 10 other bays, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional office here reported on Thursday. Of the 11 bays, five areas are now officially included in the shellfish ban based on the latest bulletin issued by the BFAR central office. Shellfish meat gathered in the five bays showed a high saxitoxin (paralytic shellfish toxin) level beyond the regulatory limit, according to BFAR. The five bodies of water, aside from Cancabato Bay, are the coastal waters of Daram town; Zumarraga town; and Cambatutay Bay in Tarangnan town, all in Samar province; and Matarinao Bay in General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani, and Salcedo towns in Eastern Samar. 'Based on monitoring, shellfish from these areas have a toxin content of 60 micrograms per 100 grams or above. The toxin is beyond a tolerable level,' BFAR Eastern Visayas regional information officer Christine Gresola said in a phone interview. Asid e from these bays, a local red tide warning has been raised for six other areas: Villareal Island; Maqueda Bay in the towns of Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, San Sebastian, Calbiga, Pinabacdao, and Hinabangan; Irongirong Bay in Catbalogan City and the coastal waters of Calbayog City, all in Samar; Carigara Bay in Leyte province; and the coastal waters of Biliran Island. 'Under local red tide, there is no shellfish ban since the toxin level content in both waters and meat is tolerable, but the public is advised to be cautious in the consumption of shellfish gathered in these areas,' Gresola said. Fish, squid, shrimp, and crabs are safe for human consumption if they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and their internal organs, such as gills and intestines, are removed before cooking, she added. Red tide occurs when certain types of algae grow out of control. The name red tide comes from the fact that the overgrowth of algae can cause the color of the water to turn red. Source : Philippines News agency