The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has once again detected red tide in 11 areas in Eastern Visayas, prompting authorities to enforce a ban on harvesting and eating shellfish from these waters.
In an advisory last August 20, BFAR said red tide was detected in seawater samples collected in Cancabato Bay in Tacloban City; coastal waters of Guiuan, Eastern Samar; coastal waters of Calbayog City, Samar; and Matarinao Bay in the towns of General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani, and Salcedo in Eastern Samar.
Earlier, the bureau said seven bodies of water in the provinces of Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Biliran had been contaminated with red tide toxins, based on shellfish meat sampling.
These included Biliran Island in Biliran province; coastal waters in Leyte town; Carigara Bay in Babatngon, San Miguel, Barugo, Carigara, and Capoocan towns in Leyte province; Cambatutay Bay in Tarangnan town; Daram Island; Zumarraga Island; and Irongirong Bay in Catbalogan City in Samar province.
“The interplay of unusual weather patterns is seen to have a direct impact on unpredictable weather conditions in Eastern Visayas. Dry season and the onset of occasional heavy rainfalls could have triggered the upwelling of inner shallow bays, bringing up sediments laden with red tide microorganism cysts,” the BFAR Eastern Visayas office said in a statement.
These microorganisms, the agency added, use the organic load that comes with the sediments to start the bloom.
"This occurred as a series of events in different inner bodies of water and was further intensified by the ever-changing current patterns in these areas, further spreading the red tide blooms,” BFAR said.
The public is strictly advised not to collect, sell, or eat any type of shellfish, including small shrimp, in these areas.
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.
Photo courtesy: Philippine Star
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