Capiz shellfish remains red tide-free
ROXAS CITY – Fishery officials assures the public that shellfish and other aqua marine products in Capiz are still safe to eat.
Aquaculturist Audie Belargo of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Capiz disclosed that the coastal waters in the province here remain free from the red tide organism.
With the negative results of the waters against the toxic red tide organism, all types of shellfish and acetes species or alamang gathered in the coastal waters are safe to eat, Belargo said.
He said that with the intense heat brought about by the El Niño phenomenon, they will conduct a twice a month red tide monitoring effective March this year.
According to Belargo, they are taking water samples in the 7 coastal areas of Capiz, namely, Ivisan, Sapian, Roxas City, Panay, Pontevedra, President Roxas and Pilar.
The province of Capiz has been free from the toxic red tides for 12 years now, Belardo revealed, adding that the last occurrence of red tide here was in 1998.
On the other hand, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources disclosed in its Shellfish Bulletin No. 4 dated February 16,2010 that shellfish collected at Dumaquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon, Bislig Bay in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur, Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit.
The BFAR said that all types of shellfish and acete species or alamang from said areas are not safe for human consumption.
Said agency also advised the public that fish, shrimps, squids and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that these are fresh and washed thoroughly and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking. (PIA/Jemin B. Guillermo)
