NAGA CITY, Philippines—The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Bicol has alerted the public against selling and eating shellfish gathered from Mandaon town in Masbate after tests around its surrounding seas have become positive for red tide toxins for over a week now.
Nonie Enolva, BFAR spokesperson, said Tuesday that BFAR first issued the warning on shellfish in Bulletin 13, released on June 2, saying that nearly all shellfish from Mandaon have been affected by the paralytic red tide toxin.
“Most shellfish and ‘acetes’ or small shrimps from Mandaon are temporarily unsafe for human consumption until BFAR lifts the red tide warning,” she said.
Enolva cited “talaba, tahong, scallops (as these are known in the vernacular) and other edible shellfish” as examples of the shellfish affected by red tide.
Only one kind of shellfish, the carpet shell (Paphia undulata) has remained unaffected by the red tide toxins in Masbate, she clarified.
BFAR, however, declared that fish, squid, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption as long as “these are fresh and washed thoroughly and all internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.”
Enolva said BFAR would not lift the red tide warning and shellfish ban unless three consecutive samplings come back with negative results that would mean a score below the standard toxicity level for red tide.
She said thus far all tests in the samples they have been regularly gathering in the affected area were still positive for the red tide toxin.