BALANGA CITY, Bataan (PNA) — The shellfish ban raised in Bataan is nearing the seventh month, considered as the longest time the deadly red tide toxin has been present in the province, provincial agriculturist Imelda Inieto said on Friday, May 23.
Likewise, Bataan remained as the only area in the country with red tide.
Inieto said that per latest advisory of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) as of May 21, 2014, shellfish collected at Bataan coastal waters in the towns of Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Abucay, Samal and Orani and the City of Balanga are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit.
Latest samples taken registered 65 unit grams saxo-toxin per 100 ugSTX of shellfish meat.
Shellfish to be safe for eating should have tolerable limit of 60 ugSTX per 100 ugSTX of shellfish meat.
Inieto said the ban on the harvesting, selling, buying and eating of shellfish and acetes (alamang) in Bataan started on November 5, 2013.
“This is the longest time that the red tide persists in Bataan,” she noted.
“There is a great impact, many have no work. Like, right now, school opening is fast approaching and we are trying to source out income anywhere,” said tahong raiser Ritchie Mendoza, 36, of Samal town when asked of the effect of red tide in their livelihood.
“Hopefully, the ban on harvesting tahong be lifted,” he said.
Rose Silvestre and Mary Dizon, stall holders selling fish, shrimps, crabs at the Balanga City public market, said red tide has also affected their merchandise.
“There is a slack on sales of fish due to reported red tide,” Silvestre said.
“There are some people who believe that fish, shrimps and crabs are also affected with red tide,” Dizon said.
The BFAR said fish, squids, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption provided they are fresh and washed thoroughly and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking. (PNA)
