By Rey Anthony Chiu/PIA-Bohol | 05:45 PM November 5, 2019
What could be in the waters off Tagbilaran City Bay specifically between Tagbilaran City and Dauis town in Panglao Island that has kept the seas off it positive for red tide for over a year now?
While environmentalists surmise that it may be the impeded flow of the tides caused by the two bridges to Panglao and the pollution which they ascribe to the city residents and the nearby Badjao community, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has said the said area, along with eight other bays in the country have tested positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP).
PSP or otherwise known as redtide is a marine phenomenon that allows the blooming of algae, which in large numbers, can alter the marine environment as the shellfish and bottom feeders can ingest the alga bloom which can be harmful to humans sue to its toxicity.
In its Shellfish Bulletin No, 20, series of 2019, the BFAR has ordered the no harvesting, no selling, no buying and no eating of shellfish from the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City.
The bulletin, issued by Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Fisheries Director Eduardo Gungona, bared that upon laboratory tests, results proved that the shellfish collected from the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol, along with those from Puerto Princesa Bay in Palawan, Irong-irong and Silanga Bays in Western Samar, Coastal waters of Bataan which includes Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Hermosa, Orani, Abucay and Samal, Coastal waters f Pampanga and coastal waters of Sual in Pangasinan are positive for PSP beyond regulatory limits.
To this, BFAR has cautioned people from gathering, selling, buying or eating shellfish and alamang from these mentioned areas as they are not safe for human consumption.
On the other hand, fish, squid, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and are washed thoroughly.
By washing thoroughly, it means gills and internal organs have been removed prior to cooking, according to BFAR.
