SAMAL, Bataan – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Region 3 on Wednesday night, July 17, issued a shellfish advisory to the public to “refrain from the gathering, selling and eating all types of shellfishes and Acctes spp. or “alamang” caught along the coastal waters of Bataan.
Based on the laboratory examination conducted by BFAR, sea water samples collected from the coastal waters in the towns of Orani, Hermosa, Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Samal and Abucay and Balanga City were found positive of gymnodinium catenatum, a toxic microorganism that causes paralytic shellfish poison.
BFAR issued the warning to avoid possible shellfish poisoning. Fish, squid, crab, and shrimp are safe to eat provided that they are fresh, all entrails are removed and washed thoroughly with running water before cooking.
Precila Banal of Samal town who has been in the shellfish business for 30 years said she and her family were greatly affected by the shellfish ban.
She and her children maintaining shellfish stalls along the MacArthur Highway in Samal began to remove the green mussels and oysters in their stores.
“Kung kailan magpapasukan doon walang hanapbuhay. Isinasako na, iaalis na dito dahil tiyak na ipatatanggal din ito. Napakalaking epekto, malaking gutom ayun lahat ng anak ko siyang nagtitinda riyan lahat na iyan walang hanapbuhay. Saan ko ihahanap ng kabuhayan yang mga anak kong iyan, may mga batang maliliit na pinakakain, pinag-aaral,” lamented Banal.
Banal requested government to speed up whatever assistance will be given them. “Gustuhin man namin humanap ng ibang hanapbuhay, wala kaming pagkukunan ng puhunan ngayon.”
Criselda Banal, daughter-in-law of Precila, said she does not know where to get the school requirements for their three children because of the red tide.
Erichele Mico Perez, agricultural technologist under the municipal agriculture office of Samal, confirmed the BFAR advisory on the red tide.
“Bawal kainin yung mga shellfish kagaya ng tahong, talaba, capiz at ibang mga shellfish pa na nakikita sa dagat o nahuhuli sa dagat gayundin ang alamang pero ang palagi naming nire-remind na safe kainin ang mga isda basta linisin nang mabuti yung mga hasang, tanggalin ang lamang loob at lutuing mabuti,” he said.
Perez said that before reporting to his office Thursday morning, he already advised fishermen and those in the shellfish business in Samal about the red tide. He said that Samal Mayor Alex Acuzar was also informed of the BFAR advisory.
“Ang red tide kasi ay isa siyang phenomenon, so hindi siya kontrolado, so likas siya nangyayari talaga. Every week, nagkakaroon tayo ng sampling na ang BFAR ang authorized na kumuha ng sample ng tubig gayundin yung mga meat o laman ng mga tahong, talaba tsinetsek iyon,” noted Perez.
“Dumadaan iyan sa proseso kagaya ng mga laboratoryo sa BFAR. Once na na-check nila ang level of toxicity yung tinatawag nating toxin so meron kasi iyang level. Kapag tumaas sa 60 micrograms sa 100 gramo ay magde-declare ng red tide advisory na nangyari kagabi,” he added.
