Red tide affects 3 Mindanao provinces

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines – Red tide toxin continues to affect some coastal waters in Mindanao, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional office said yesterday.

BFAR officer-in-charge Remedios Ongtangco said the affected areas are Dumanquillas Bay in this province, Murcielagos Bay in Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga del Norte and Balite Bay in Mati City, Davao Oriental.

Shellfish Bulletin 18 released recently by BFAR said all types of shellfish and Acetes specie or alamang gathered from the three coastal areas are not safe for human consumption.

However, Ongtangco said fish, squids, shrimps and crabs harvested from the affected areas are safe to eat provided they are fresh and washed thoroughly with their internal organs such as gills and intestines removed before cooking.

Marine biotoxin monitoring section chief Juan Relos, Jr. said red tide toxin in Zamboanga and Misamis coastal waters is more infectious than the type that affected the waters off Bataan, Zambales and Pangasinan.