HAGONOY, Bulacan—Marine products here especially oysters are free of red tide, while prawns and shrimps are not infected with white spot disease, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said.
“There is no red tide toxins in Bulacan and there is no white spot disease in Central Luzon,” said Felix Terrado, head of the BFAR research facility for brackish water based at Barangay San Pedro here.
Terrado made the announcement during the Holy Week when sales of marine products usually go up. This is due to traditional abstention of Catholics to meat products. Terrado explained that water flowing from the Angat River keeps waters on the bay of Bulacan clean.
Angat River is the lone major river system in the province that is still “alive” based on report of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) about 10 years ago. The same report noted that Marilao-Meycuayan River, along with the downstream of Bocaue, Balagtas and Guiguinto rivers are biologically dead.
However, he confi rmed reports that intensive aquaculture farming in the province especially on the coast of this town had dramatically reduced fish production due to rapid conversion of damaged fishponds into fishpens.
Records from the municipal agriculture office showed that as of February, an estimated 800 hectares of fishponds were damaged by storm surges in the last three years and were converted into fishpens that utilize aqua feeds in intensive fish farming.
Terrado also noted that Central Luzon remains free from white spot disease that usually manifest among cultured species of shrimps and prawns. However, he said that shrimps and prawn infected by white spot disease are still safe to eat provided that they are well cooked.
“There is nothing to worry in consuming marine products this summer, just don’t eat too much,” Terrado said referring to tendency of many overeat during fiestas. He said that white spot disease manifested in local ponds when Vanamei, a shrimp specie imported from Taiwan was introduced to local ponds some 10 years ago.
He said the white spot virus usually attach itself to shrimps leading it to die in the water. At present, hile Vanamei shrimps are propagated in different nurseries in the region, there are still reports of its infection in the past years.
Terrado said that based on studies, white spot disease occurs due to dirty environment. For this, he reminded fishpond operators to ensure cleanliness of their ponds before the next cropping season.
