THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) announced on Tuesday that shellfish collected from the waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol, Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; and the coastal waters of San Benito in Surigao del Norte tested positive for toxic red tide.
In a bulletin dated June 10, 2024, BFAR warned the people in those areas against eating shellfish which are positive for PSP (paralytic shellfish poison) or red tide that is beyond the allowable limit.
“All types of shellfish and acetes sp. or ‘alamang’ gathered from these areas shown above are NOT SAFE for human consumption. Fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs are SAFE for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking,” the BFAR advisory read.
Eating toxic shellfish may affect the nervous system with symptoms usually manifesting within 30 minutes. In the Philippines, victims of red tide poisoning experienced gastrointestinal and neurological illnesses with deaths secondary to ventilatory failure, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline BFAR warns of red tide-contaminated seafoods in Bohol, Zambo Sur and Surigao del Norte