The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has cautioned residents from catching shellfish in 12 areas in Eastern Visayas due to red tide.
Red tide once again affects several fishing areas in Region 8
AS SEAFOOD and shellfish prices continue to fluctuate, the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources bureau recently confirmed the presence of red tide in several areas in Eastern Visayas.
In an advisory, BFAR confirmed 12 areas affected by the red tide wherein some of the bays have been suffering from the toxins since last year.
These areas include the coastal waters of Zumarraga in Samar, coastal waters of Calubian in Leyte, coastal waters of Leyte, Leyte, Cancabato Bay (Tacloban City), tBiliran Islands, Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Daram (Daram, Samar), Cambatutay Bay (Tarangnan, Samar), Matarinao Bay (General MacArthur, Hernani, Quinapondan, and Salcedo in Eastern Samar), Carigara Bay (Babatngon, San Miguel, Barugo, Carigara and Capoocan in Leyte), San Pedro Bay (Basey, Samar) and Ormoc Bay (Ormoc, Merida and Albuera, Leyte)
According to BFAR Assistant Director for Operations Juan Albaladejo, the unpredictable weather condition in Eastern Visayas, along with weather patterns in the Pacific Ocean, caused the current cases of red tide in the region.
“This started in the third quarter of 2020 when a mild El Niño causes a long dry spell mixed with occasional heavy rainfalls that trigger the upwelling of inner shallow bays bringing up the sediments laden with red tide microorganism cysts,” the BFAR official said in a statement.
The BFAR has issued a precautionary advisory to the public to refrain from gathering, selling, and eating all types of shellfish as well as consuming "alamang" from the contaminated areas.
Local fishermen and traders say their livelihood has been affected due to the red tide.
“Matumal nanaman ang benta ng isda dahil sa red tide,” a fish vendor from Tacloban City told OpinYon. (JKA)