Bolinao, Pangasinan—The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Region 1 (Ilocos) has lifted the shellfish ban on Anda and Bolinao towns in Pangasinan after the latest test on the shellfish samples from these towns yielded negative results.
In its latest regional shellfish advisory on Tuesday, BFAR-1 regional director Lilibeth Signey said the confirmatory test conducted by the BFAR National Fisheries Laboratory Division in Manila on the shellfish collected in both towns are now negative of paralytic shellfish poison.
“Therefore, the public is hereby informed that the Regional Shellfish Advisories No. 1 and 2 issued on April 26, 2019 and May 3, 2019, respectively, are now lifted. Hence, shellfish harvested from coastal waters of Bolinao and Anda in Pangasinan are now safe for human consumption,” she said.
Signey added the gathering, harvesting, transporting, marketing, and eating of shellfish harvested from these areas are now permitted.
“The BFAR and the local government units are continuously monitoring coastal waters of the two towns to safeguard the public health and to protect the shellfish industry,” she said.
As the threat of red tide has finally ceased, local fishermen expressed relief over this development because the ban had disrupted their livelihood.
Red tide is a common name for algal bloom, a phenomenon wherein there is an increase in the amount of algae found in bodies of water.
This phenomenon depletes oxygen in the water and releases toxins that can cause illness in humans and other animals.