By Connie Calipay
LEGAZPI CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Bicol (BFAR-5) has reminded the public that gathering, selling, and transporting all types of shellfish from the municipal waters of Milagros in Masbate province is prohibited after recent samples tested positive for red tide toxins.
In an interview on Monday, BFAR-5 spokesperson Rowena Briones said collected shellfish meat samples showed a concentration of 101.38 μg STX per 100 grams, exceeding the regulatory limit of 60 μg STX per 100 grams.
“After the initial samples were collected, we took another shellfish sample bound for Manila tonight for further analysis,” Briones said.
She warned the public that the duration of red tide blooms is unpredictable, and there is no antidote for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP).
“To mitigate this, BFAR conducts regular monitoring. When red tide is detected, sampling occurs weekly,” she added.
Briones said the ban on eating, harvesting, and marketing shellfish will be lifted only after three consecutive negative results are obtained from sampling.
“Once we are assured of negative results, we will return to our regular monitoring schedule of sampling twice a month,” she said.
Briones said several factors, including weather conditions such as monsoons, rains, and temperature changes, can trigger the occurrence of red tide, which promotes the bloom of harmful algae.
“We are closely monitoring these conditions since consuming shellfish affected by red tide can lead to symptoms such as numbness of the face, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, tingling, paralysis of hands and feet, and weakness. In severe cases, this can result in death due to paralysis of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system,” he said.
However, Briones clarified that fish harvested from the area are safe for human consumption provided they are fresh, thoroughly washed, and have their internal organs, such as the gills and intestines, removed before cooking.
Briones said three other monitoring areas —Sorsogon Bay, Juan Lagoon in Matnog, Sorsogon, and the coastal waters of Mandaon, Masbate— have tested negative for PSP and are safe for consumption. (PNA)
