• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The coastal waters of Bacolod City, and neighboring Talisay, Silay, Victorias, E.B. Magalona, and Hinigaran in Negros Occidental, as well as Tambobo and Siit bays in Siaton and Bais Bay in Negros Oriental remain free of the toxic red tide this first month of 2024.
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources director, Atty. Demosthenes Escoto, said Jan. 25 that the waters of Sapian Bay straddling Ivisan and Sapian in Capiz, and Mambuquiao and Camanci, Batan in Aklan, the coastal waters of Altavas, Batan, and New Washington in Batan Bay, Aklan; and that of Pontevedra, Panay, Pilar, Roxas City, and President Roxas in Capiz, dubbed as the seafood capital of the Philippines, are also free of the Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP), along with several other areas.
Escoto added in an advisory that BFAR tested shellfishes collected from the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol, Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur, and of San Benito in Surigao del Norte, and were found to be still positive for PSP, which can make people ill. High levels of PSP can even cause severe illness or death.
“Moreover, the coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate, San Pedro Bay in Samar, and Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar are now positive for PSP,” Escoto said. “All types of shellfish and alamang gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption.”
But the BFAR said that fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and that internal organs, such as gills and intestines, are removed before cooking. | CGC
