BFAR warns vs eating shellfish from 4 Eastern Visayas bays due to red tide

TACLOBAN CITY — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) warned the public against gathering, selling and consuming shellfish from four coastal areas in Eastern Visayas.

The alert comes after laboratory tests detected paralytic shellfish toxins associated with red tide.

In its advisory dated Nov. 12, BFAR-8 identified Carigara Bay, Irong-Irong Bay, Matarinao Bay and Cambatutay Bay as areas where shellfish samples tested positive for red tide toxins.

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Carigara Bay spans across the coasts of Babatngon, San Miguel, Capoocan, Barugo and Carigara towns in Leyte and Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan City, Samar.

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Matarinao Bay includes the coasts of General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani and Salcedo towns in Eastern Samar.

Cambatutay Bay covers the coasts of Tarangnan town, Samar.

The examinations of shellfish samples were conducted by the BFAR-8 Regional Fisheries Laboratory.

BFAR said it had issued a local red tide warning for Cambatutay Bay while awaiting confirmatory test results from the BFAR National Fisheries Laboratory Division using the Receptor Binding Assay.

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The public has been advised to avoid gathering, selling and eating all types of shellfish, including Acetes species or alamang, from the affected waters.

However, BFAR clarified that fish, squid, shrimp and crabs from these sites remain safe to eat, provided they are fresh and their internal organs, particularly the intestines and gills, are removed before thorough washing.

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Red tide is caused by the rapid multiplication of certain microscopic algae that can produce toxins harmful to humans and marine organisms.

Shellfish can accumulate these toxins as they feed by filtering seawater.

Saxitoxin causes paralytic shellfish poisoning, which can lead to numbness, tingling, difficulty breathing, and, in severe cases, death.

Cooking or boiling contaminated shellfish does not destroy the toxin.

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BFAR regularly monitors coastal waters and conducts laboratory tests to determine whether shellfish are safe for human consumption. /apl