Fisheries Bureau: No more red tide in Bislig Bay

The Fisheries Bureau declared all shellfish and "alamang" harvested from Bislig Bay in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur free from red tide toxins. Based on Shellfish Bulletin No. 17, only four areas remain under red tide alert. These are Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental, and Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon. "The rainy seasons scares off red tide. Usually, red tide occurs during a very long dry spell," Fisheries Director Malcolm I. Sarmiento told reporters in an interview in yesterday. The bureau removed Bislig Bay from the list of areas that have red tide after conducting laboratory tests. The government is positive that the rest of the affected areas that remain will soon be rid of the toxin once the rainy season settles in. While alamang and shellfish from the four areas are not safe to eat, fish, squids, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption provided they are fresh and washed thoroughly with internal organs removed before cooking. Red tide can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), an illness which can cause death. Early symptoms of PSP include tingling of the lips and tongue, which may begin within minutes of eating the poisonous shellfish but it may also take an hour or two to develop. Depending upon the amount of toxins a person has ingested, symptoms may progress to tingling of fingers and toes and then loss of control of arms and legs, followed by difficulty in breathing. If a person consumes enough poison, the muscles of the chest and abdomen become paralyzed. Death can result in about two hours, as muscles used for breathing become paralyzed. The coastal waters of Cavite, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Navotas, Bulacan and Bataan in Manila Bay remain free from red tide toxins. Also free from red tide toxins are the coastal waters of Alaminos, Anda, Bolinao and Wawa, bani in Pangasinan; Masinloc Bay in Zambales; coastal waters of Milagros and Mandaon in Masbate and Inner Malampaya Sound in Taytay, Honday Bay and Puerty Bay in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. Other red tide-free areas are Pilar, President Roxas Pontevedra, Panay, Roxas City, Ivisan and Sapian in Capiz; coastal waters of E.B. Magalona, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Valladolid, Talisay City, Bacolod City, Hinigaran, Cadiz City, Victorias City, Bago City and San Enrique in Negros Occidental, Irong-irong, Maqueda and Villareal Bays in Samar; Ormoc, San Pedro, Cancabato and Carigara Bays in Leyte; Biliran waters in Biliran Province; Hinatuan and Lianga Bays in Surigao del Sur; Balite Bay in Mati, Davao Oriental; coastal waters of Kabasalasn in Sibuguey Bay, Zamboanga Siguray; and Juag Lagoon in Matnog in Sorsogon. –VVP, GMANews.TV