The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is warning the public against consuming shellfish and “alamang” (krill/small shrimp) after issuing a red tide advisory for Siit Bay in Siaton, Negros Oriental.
The BFAR-7 (Central Visayas) office found high levels of harmful toxins in water samples collected from the bay, Florencia Mepaña, BFAR-Negros Oriental provincial chief, said Monday, June 16.
Mepaña said they are also requesting shellfish meat samples from Siit Bay for further laboratory testing.
“Before declaring a red tide occurrence, we need to monitor a particular area for three consecutive weeks to determine and confirm the presence of organisms that can trigger a harmful algal bloom (HAB),” she said.
Mepaña attributed the elevated presence of Pyrodinium Bahamense, a harmful dinoflagellate that can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), to agricultural runoffs carrying nutrients that result in HAB or red tide.
On June 10 water samples were collected from Siit Bay for laboratory analysis with results showing that the presence of the Pyrodinium Bahamense had “exceeded the regulatory limit”, she added.
“There are other causes of red tide such as garbage and pollution but this one (species) is the most popular and toxic,” Mepaña said.
Residents are advised not to collect, sell, or consume shellfish and “alamang” in Siit as a precautionary measure, pending the confirmatory laboratory tests from the BFAR national office.
Meanwhile, the BFAR here is also monitoring and collecting water samples from Tambobo Bay in Siaton and Bais Bay in Bais City for possible HAB, she said.
The erratic weather conditions in the province, especially with the onset of the rainy season, usually contribute to an algal bloom.*PNA