Several coastal waters still test positive for shellfish poison, bureau says

SOME coastal waters still test positive for the paralytic shellfish poison, the Fisheries Bureau said.

In Shellfish Bulletin 39, released on Friday, the bureau said the coastal waters of Irong-Irong Bay, Maqueda Bay, Villareal Bay and coastal waters of Daram Island in Western Samar; Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar; Carigara Bay in Leyte; Inner Malampaya Sound, Taytay, and Puerto Princesa Bay, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan; and coastal waters of Milagros and Mandaon in Masbate, have all tested positive for the paralytic shellfish toxin.

The rest of the coastal areas in the Philippines are free of the toxic red tides.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources warned the public that all types of shellfish and alamang in the following areas contain more than the regulatory limit of shellfish poison, making them unfit for harvest, selling, and consumption.

However, several species — including of fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs — are safe to eat provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking. — Janina C. Lim