Posted January 12, 2012

Matarinao Bay continues to be positive of red tide toxic organisms

TACLOBAN CITY – Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar which covers the waters of Quinapondan, Gen. MacArthur and Hernani continue to be positive of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning that is beyond the regulatory limit based on the latest laboratory results for this year dated January 6, 2012 from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-8).

Earlier news report in local paper revealed that shellfish ban for Matarinao Bay took effect from March 16, 2010 to March 3, 2011 and recurred on August 21, 2011 until December 26, 2011, which BFAR-8 suspect that small-scale mining has something to do with the recurrence of red tide phenomenon in the area.

Director Jaun D. Albaladejo advises the public to refrain from eating, gathering, harvesting, transporting and marketing shellfish from these areas until such time that the shellfish toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory level.

He said that all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption, however, fish, squid, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and the internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.

On the other hand, Albaladejo said that the coastal areas which are free from toxic red tide organisms include the areas along (Ormoc City, Albuera and Merida, Leyte); Biliran Waters (Naval and Kawayan, Biliran); Camotes Sea (Palompon, Leyte); San Pedro Bay (Palo and Tanauan, Leyte); Villareal Bay (Villareal, Samar); Maqueda Bay (Jiabong and Catbalogan Samar); Irong-irong Bay (Tarangnan, Samar); Cancabato Bay (Tacloban City); Sogod Bay (Sogod, So. Leyte); Carigara Bay (Carigara, San Miguel, Barugo, and Capoocan, Leyte) and Calbayog Waters (Calbayog, Samar).

Meanwhile, BFAR and the local government units are continuously monitoring the coastal waters of Matarinao Bay to safeguard public health and to protect the fishery industry. (Neil D. Lopido, PIA-8)

Posted August 31, 2010

Carigara Bay in Leyte remains positive for red tide toxin

TACLOBAN CITY  –  The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office 8 reiterated its call for the public to refrain from eating, gathering or harvesting, transporting and marketing shellfish from Carigara Bay in Leyte.

Director Juan Albaladejo said that this ban is effective until such time that the shellfish toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory limit.

It would be recalled that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr. has issued Shellfish Bulletin No. 20 and Shellfish Advisory No. 11 on August 20, 2010, specifying that Carigara Bay in Leyte is now positive for red tide toxin, based on the latest laboratory results of the BFAR and local government units.

Director Albaladejo said that all types of shellfish and acetes species or alamang gathered from Carigara Bay is not safe for human consumption.

Fish, squid, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly.

The internal organs such as gills and intestines must be removed before cooking, Director Albaladejo said.

Carigara Bay is now the second body of water in Region 8 which was declared positive for red tide toxin. The first was Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar which up to now is still positive for poisoning red tide toxin.

With the inclusion of Carigara Bay, there are now six (6) bodies of water in the country which are under the shellfish ban. These are Honda Bay in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan; Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon; Murciolagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental; and Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur.

All types of shellfish and acetes species or alamang gathered from these bodies of water are not safe for human consumption.

The eating, gathering or harvesting, transporting and marketing shellfish from these bodies of water, are prohibited. (PIA 8)

Posted April 3, 2010

Only waters of Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar are positive of red tide toxins, BFAR says

TACLOBAN CITY – In Eastern Visayas, only the waters of Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar are positive of red tide toxins, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 8 Director Juan D. Albaladejo informed.

All the other coastal areas along Carigara Bay, Ormoc Bay, Biliran Waters, Camases Sea, San Pedro Bay, Villareal Bay, Maqueda Bay, Irong-Irong Bay, Cancabato Bay and Sogod Bay, are free from toxic redtide organisms, Director Albaladejo added.

Director Albaladejo said that based on Shellfish Bulletin No. 7 issued on March 30, the shellfish and water samples collected at the coastal waters of Matarinao Bay are positive for paralytic shellfish poisoning that is beyond the regulatory limit.

The Matarinao Bay covers the municipalities of Salcedo, Quinapondan, MacArthur and Hernani in the province of Eastern Samar.

Director Albaladejo advised the public to refrain from eating, gathering or harvesting, transporting and marketing shellfish from the Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar until such time that the shellfish toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory level.

All types of shellfish and acetes sp. or alamang gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption, Director Albaladejo added.

Fish, squid, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and the internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.  (PIA 8)

Posted September 24, 2009

Cancabato Bay in Tacloban positive for toxic red tide, BFAR warns

TACLOBAN CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources warned the public to refrain from eating, gathering or harvesting, transporting and marketing shellfish from Cancabato Bay in Tacloban City, Leyte.

Cancabato Bay in Tacloban City, Leyte is positive for paralytic shellfish poison better known as toxic red tide, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Director Malcolm Sarmiento, Jr., declared.

In BFAD Advisory No. 08 series of 2009 issued on September 16, 2009, Director Sarmiento said that based on the results of red tide monitoring activities of the BFAR and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Leyte, shellfish samples collected from Cancabato Bay in Tacloban City have been found to be positive for the red tide toxin.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin level in the shellfish samples collected from the said area showed a 91ugSTXeq/100g of shellfish meat. This is way up the normal which is below 60 ugSTXeq/100 g of shellfish meat.

All types of shellfish and acetes sp. or alamang gathered from Cancabato Bay are not safe for human consumption.

The shellfish ban will continue until such time that the shellfish toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory level. Only Director Sarmiento is authorized to lift the ban, just as he is the only BFAD official who may issue the shellfish ban.

The public is also advised that fish, squid, shrimps, and crabs harvested from Cancabato Bay areas are safe for human consumption provided they are fresh and washed thoroughly. Their gills and intestines, and other internal organs must be removed before cooking.

BFAR and the office of the Provincial Agriculturist of Leyte are continuously monitoring the coastal waters of Cancabato Bay in order to safeguard public health and safety and to protect the fishery industry.

The other bodies of water in Region 8, particularly that of Irong-Irong Bay, Maqueda Bay; Villareal Bay, San Pedro Bay, Ormoc Bay, Palompon Waters, Carigara Bay and Biliran Waters are free from toxic red tide, Regional Fisheries Director Juan D. Albaladejo stressed.  (PIA 8)

Posted March 24, 2009

Eastern Visayas waters free from toxic red tide

TACLOBAN CITY  –  All the major bodies of water in Eastern Visayas are free from toxic red tide, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources informed through its Shellfish Bulletin Number 04 series of 2009.

The coastal waters of Irong Irong, Maqueda and Villareal Bays in the province of Samar; Ormoc, San Pedro, Cancabato and Carigara Bays in Leyte; and Biliran watrers in Biliran province, continue to be free from toxic red tide, Director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr said.

This means that all kinds of marine products harvested from these bodies of water will continue to be enjoyed by the consumers while the marine farmers will continue to benefit from their bountiful harvest of marine products, such as fish, shrimps, squids, crabs and shellfish.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office 8 and the Local Government units continue their monitoring and testing of samples collected from the coastal areas in Region 8 in order to ensure the safety of the consumers.

Moreover, the same shellfish bulletin informed that shellfish ban is still imposed on several areas of the country.

These are Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; Juag Lagoon in Matnog and Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon; and the coastal areas of Milagros in Masbate.

Moreover, Bislig Bay in Bislig, Surigao del Sur is now positive of red tide toxin.

In the areas where the shellfish ban is imposed, all types of shellfish and acetes sp. or alamang gathered in the area are not safe for human consumption.

In these areas, 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.  (PIA 8)