BFAR issues red tide notice for Samar, Leyte
THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) issued a red tide notice in San Pedro, Samar; Cancabato Bay, Leyte and Biliran Island.
Shellfish also tested positive for paralytic shellfish poison in various provinces.
The affected areas include parts of Bataan; Milagros, Masbate; Dauis and Tagbilaran, Bohol; Carigara Bay, Leyte; Guiuan and Matarinao Bay, Eastern Samar; Dumanquillas Bay, Zamboanga del Sur; Litalit Bay, Surigao del Norte; and Lianga Bay, Surigao del Sur.
Shellfish and krill collected in those areas are not safe for human consumption, according to a bulletin issued by the BFAR.
However, fish, squid, crab and shrimp are still safe to consume provided they are washed thoroughly.
Red tide toxin is caused by algal blooms that deplete oxygen and discolor coastal waters, causing potential illness in humans and animals. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson
