BALANGA CITY – The ban on the harvesting, transporting, selling and eating of shellfish has not been lifted and continued to be raised in Bataan, the provincial agriculture office here announced Tuesday.
Provincial agriculturist Imelda Inieto said the ban imposed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on November 5, 2013 due to red tide continued to remain in effect.
Affected by the ban are the towns of Orani, Samal, Abucay, Pilar, Orion, Limay and Mariveles and the City of Balanga, all adjacent to Manila Bay. She said that latest laboratory results on shellfish samples taken from Bataan released by BFAR showed toxin level of 120 unit grams saxo toxin per 100 grams of shellfish meat as compared to the tolerable limit of 60 ug STX/100g shellfish meat.
“Bagama’t napakahirap para sa mga nasa shellfish industry, sana makipagtulungan pa rin na huwag munang
mag-harvest, magtinda at kumain ng shellfish dito sa Bataan,” Inieto appealed. She said that toxicity level of shellfi sh samples taken showed a decreasing pattern. From 347 ug STX/100g shellfish meat last February 27, 2014, it has gone down to 120, the agriculturist said.
At the Balanga City public market, the stall that used to sell tahong was with alimasag. “Malaking epekto sa kabuhayan namin. Malaki ang benta sa tahong dahil kami mismo ang nag-aani pero napilitan akong magbenta ng alimasag,” Belen Ladera of Barangay Tortugas, Balanga said.
The small wharf in Wawa that serves as drop off point for tahong and talaba in Abucay, Bataan was empty.
Fisherman Bernie Ongoco said he was forced to purchase tahong in a sitio in Bulacan. “Malayo, malaki gastos,” he said. Tahong they used to get in Bataan at P800 a sack was priced at P1,000 in Bulacan which they will now sell at P1,200.
“Malaking epekto sa kahirapan sapagka’t tahong lang ang ikinabubuhay ng marami sa amin dito sa Wawa,” Tata Garcia said, adding “tulad ngayon na graduation ng mga bata, wala kaming panggastos.” She said that she shifted to selling fish.
“Mahina naman ang huli kaya wala ring mangyari,” she said. Garcia asked that BFAR reconsiders the ban so they can go back to seling tahong and talaba. “Araw-araw, tahong at talaba ang ulam namin,” she said.
A streamer “Talabang Bulacan” hangs on the makeshift hut in Samal, Bataan that used to be filled with talaba and tahong caught in the shellfish-rich town.
“Kesa naman magutom kami dahil wala kaming hanapbuhay kundi ang pagtitinda ng tahong at talaba, napilitan kaming mamakyaw sa Hagonoy, Bulacan kahit medyo mahal,” Clarissa Sanchez said.
She showed different containers filled with talaba that now sell at P70, P120 and P180 from P50, P100 and P150; respectively.
