At least 10 bays in Eastern Visayas are now placed under a shellfish ban due to the presence of red tide, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
In its advisory issued on October 8, the BFAR said the red tide was detected in the seawater samples collected in the coastal waters of Leyte, Leyte, and Calbayog City in Samar province, based on the latest sampling.
Last week, the bureau said eight bodies of water in Samar, Eastern Samar, and Biliran province had been contaminated with red tide toxins, based on shellfish meat sampling.
These included Biliran Island in Biliran province; Carigara Bay in Babatngon, San Miguel, Barugo, Carigara, and Capoocan towns in Leyte; Daram Island, Zumarraga Island, Cambatutay Bay in Tarangnan town; Irongirong Bay in Catbalogan City; and Maqueda Bay in Samar province.
Also affected is Matarinao Bay in the towns of General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani, and Salcedo in Eastern Samar.
The public is strictly advised not to collect, sell, or eat any type of shellfish, including small shrimp, in these areas, the BFAR advisory said.
Fish, squid, shrimp, and crabs are safe for human consumption if they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and their internal organs, such as gills and intestines, are removed before cooking.
(With report from PNA/OpinYon News Team)
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