Fish, seashells are safe to eat

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has assured the public that the fish and seashells in Cebu are still safe to eat despite the threat of contamination in the Visayan Sea brought about by the oil spill in Guimaras.

BFAR Information Officer Lourdes Arciaga said that seashells and fish sold in the market are still safe to eat. She said that these came from Samar, Bohol and Leyte.

Arciaga pointed out that only Pulupundan Bay in Negros Occidental is the contaminated area in the region.

She said that it will also be easily noticed if these seashells are contaminated will the oil spill because it will be coated with dirt brought about by the oil.

She also said that fish and these seashells will die if they are in an area that has been contaminated.

Arciaga said that they are constantly monitoring the seafood products entering in the market.

It has been reported that folk from Bantayan Island are bracing for the possible arrival of an oil slick sighted in the Visayan Sea between Bantayan Island, Masbate and Biliran waters through a satellite photograph taken last Thursday.

Antonio Oposa, team leader of the Visayan Sea Squadron, said the slick is about 18 kilometers off Madridejos' shores. The quantity and quality of the slick could not be determined yet and he surmised it might be just thin films of oil.

Oposa's team was supposed to conduct an aerial survey of the slick last Saturday, but bad weather stalled their operation. Captain Paul Anthony Rosita, who was to fly their plane for the aerial survey, said they could not penetrate the thick clouds and heavy rains.

Heavy rains and thick clouds also covered at least 20 nautical miles between Bantayan Island and Masbate.

Marine biologist Gary Cases, a member of the Visayan Sea Squadron, said they have been closely coordinating with Mayor Mac John Seachon of Esperanza, Masbate.

Masbate, part of the Visayan Sea, is also seen as possible destination of the slick. Cases said Seachon sent him a text message saying that they have not conducted their sea borne survey also due to bad weather.

Since last Friday, Bantayan folk have started making booms out of corn stalks and hay to help stop the oil slick should it reach their shores.

Volunteer Rolando Baldon said he was prompted to help because he fears the oil slick's possible impact on the marine wildlife.

Mayors Geralyn Escario of Bantayan town and Letty Mancio of Madridejos town have also called a meeting that is meant to help come up with measures on how to deal with the oil slick.

Two weeks ago the M/T Solar I which was chartered by Petron to transport 50,000 gallons of bunker fuel to Iloilo City, was sunk by a typhoon off Guimaras Island, spilling copious amounts of oil.

Meanwhile, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said there is no cause to panic now that the oil slick from Guimaras Island is already veering away from the Visayan Sea.

"Let us not also panic kay panic can cause jitters, which may cause false information. But let us be very, very vigilant and to immediately report any sightings," Garcia said.

She said it would be premature for her use to use the five percent of the province's calamity fund for its pre-disaster plan, but that she urged the people in Bantayan Island to continue closely monitoring the shores.

Further, she pointed out that the province will only take P5 million from its calamity fund to be used as financial assistance to the Province of Guimaras, which is hardly hit by the oil spill. - with Cristina C. Birondo