Red tide warning up in 5 coastal areas

By Janine Alexis Miguel

April 8, 2023 

SHELLFISH and acetes shrimp or "alamang" collected from the coastal areas in Bohol, Samar, Surigao del Sur and Zamboanga del Sur have tested positive for red tide toxins.

The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) released a bulletin which showed that samples gathered from Daquis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol, San Pedro Bay in Samar, Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, and Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur are positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) and are not safe for human consumption.

Based on the BFAR's administrative order on safety and quality control standards for PSP, the maximum regulatory limit of toxins is 60 micrograms for every 100 grams of shellfish meat for both domestic and foreign markets.

According to BFAR, shellfish are particularly prone to toxin contamination as they feed by filtering microscopic food out of the water.

"Eating distressed or dead fish and other aquatic animals in areas affected by red tide is discouraged because the reason for the animal's strange behavior or death cannot be absolutely known," the fisheries bureau said.

DA-BFAR, meanwhile, noted that fishes, squids, shrimps, and crabs from the mentioned areas are safe to consume, "provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking."

The red tide phenomenon is caused by a bloom of algae that produce toxins that make shellfish dangerous to eat and make the water red.

The bureau also released a warning against buying, selling, catching, and eating of shellfish from the said areas as red tide could cause headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, tingling sensation on lips and tongue, and in extreme cases, could lead to death.

Shellfish that are unsafe to eat from red tide-affected coastal areas include clams, cockles, oyster, mussels and scallops.