Inquirer file photo
MANILA, Philippines — The fish caught in four cities in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces are safe to eat, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) assured the public in its latest bulletin on Tuesday, amid concerns following an oil spill due to a sunken tanker in Bataan province.
The BFAR cited tests showing the fish originating from Navotas, Parañaque, Manila and Las Piñas cities in Metro Manila and Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Batangas provinces were “safe for human consumption.”
READ: Execs debunk oil spill effect on fish, seafood in Bulacan
But it warned that fish and shellfish samples collected in Cavite province remain unsafe to eat based on sensory evaluation tests.
According to BFAR, fish and shellfish samples taken in Navotas, Manila, Parañaque and Las Piñas were free from oil and grease contamination based on tests conducted on July 31, Aug. 6 and Aug. 12.
The same finding was also true for samples taken from different sites in Bataan, Bulacan and Pampanga.
No significant risk
The BFAR reported that chemical testing was also done to detect the presence of harmful substances like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on July 29. The results revealed “that PAH concentrations were significantly below levels of concern and posed no significant risk to public health.”
A sensory evaluation test done on Aug. 9 of fish samples in Batangas, particularly in Nasugbu, Lian and Calatagan, showed these were all free of traces of oil and grease, the BFAR said.
It added that fish sampling and sensory evaluation would continue to detect any presence of oil and grease in potentially affected areas.
“Samples will also be continuously tested for [the] presence of PAH. Continuous monitoring and testing is essential in ensuring the safety of the consuming public,” it said.
The BFAR has been conducting on-ground monitoring and assessment of potentially affected fishing areas and communities surrounding Manila Bay following last month’s sinking of MT Terranova off Limay, Bataan.