ANGELES CITY- Recent rains have not diluted red tide toxins off the coast of Bataan where the plague has remained still deadly since November last year, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) warned yesterday.
Teresita Gulle, head of the fish health department of the BFAR in Central Luzon, noted that despite the rains, red tide has recently been reported in Balite Bay in Mati, Davao Oriental.
Gulle said that the “four don’ts policy” has remained in effect in in Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Orani, Abucay and Samal in Bataan.
“This means don’t harvest, don’t sell, don’t buy, and don’t eat shellfish from the affected areas,” Gulle stressed, warning that consumption of affected shellfish could lead to fatal paralytic poisoning.
She said that BFAR laboratory findings also indicated dangerous red tide toxins in the waters of Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental, and Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar.
Gulle noted, however, that red tide microorganisms in shellfish meat samples gathered in Bataan indicated lower toxicity at 67 micrograms per 100 grams of meat, down from over 200 micrograms of toxins earlier this year. The tolerable limit is 60 micrograms.
“Once the red tide level goes down within tolerable limits, weekly laboratory studies will be conducted and the red tide ban would be lifted only after three successive laboratory tests yield tolerable results,” she said.
At the Masinloc Bay in Zambales, where red tide was reported earlier this year, the plague has not returned, she added.
Gulle noted that BFAR gathers shellfish meat samples weekly from various waters nationwide to ensure the safety of shellfish consumers.
She stressed that the rainy season is not a factor in lessening red tide threat, as she noted that there are species of red tide microorganisms that proliferate during the rainy season, while others spawn during the summer months.
