BFAR: Shellfish from parts of Masbate, Zambo peninsula and Misamis Occidental unsafe

MANILA, Philippines—All types of shellfish collected in coastal waters off Milagros, Masbate, and two bays in Mindanao are still unsafe to eat, according to a red tide advisory from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

In the shellfish bulletin issued on Sept. 29, BFAR director Asis Perez said shellfish collected in Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental; and coastal waters of Milagros town in Masbate is not safe for human consumption.

The latest laboratory tests conducted by BFAR and the local government units concerned showed that shellfish collected in those areas contained “paralytic shellfish poison” beyond the regulatory limit.

BFAR said all types of shellfish, as well as the Acetes species or “alamang,” from those areas, were unsafe to eat.

But “fish, squids, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking,” it said.