• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The coastal waters of Bacolod City and Negros Occidental have remained free from the toxic red tide contamination in the first four months of this year, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said.
The latest red tide advisory, as of this week, showed that coastal waters of Bacolod, E.B. Magalona, Talisay City, Silay City, Hinigaran, and Victorias City in Negros Occidental, and the Tambobo and Siit bays in Slaton, and Bais Bay in Negros Oriental, among others, continue to remain free of red tide.
“Shellfishes collected and tested from the coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate; coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol; San Pedro Bay in Samar and Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar; Dumanquilias Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; and coastal waters of San Benito in Surigao del Norte are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP), or toxic red tide, that is beyond the regulatory limit,” BFAR officer-in-charge Isidro Velayo Jr. said in the advisory.
All types of shellfish and alamang gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption, Velayo said, although he clarified that fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and the internal organs, such as gills and intestines, are removed before cooking. | CGC
