RED TIDE. A portion of the coastal waters of Biliran Island in Biliran province in this undated photo. The area is one of the 10 bays in Eastern Visayas affected by red tide presence. (Photo from Biliran Island FB page)
TACLOBAN CITY – Shellfish ban are up in 10 areas in Eastern Visayas this week, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said on Tuesday.
In its advisory, the BFAR said the red tide was detected in the seawater samples collected in the coastal waters of Leyte, Leyte, and Calbayog City in Samar province, based on the latest sampling.
Last week, the bureau said eight bodies of water in Samar, Eastern Samar, and Biliran province had been contaminated with red tide toxins, based on shellfish meat sampling.
These included Biliran Island in Biliran province; Carigara Bay in Babatngon, San Miguel, Barugo, Carigara, and Capoocan towns in Leyte; Daram Island, Zumarraga Island, Cambatutay Bay in Tarangnan town; Irongirong Bay in Catbalogan City; and Maqueda Bay in Samar province.
Maqueda is the largest body of water affected by toxic red tide. It is within the boundaries of the towns of Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, San Sebastian, Calbiga, Pinabacdao, and Hinabangan towns.
Also affected is Matarinao Bay in the towns of General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani, and Salcedo in Eastern Samar.
The public is strictly advised not to collect, sell, or eat any type of shellfish, including small shrimp, in these areas, the BFAR advisory said.
Fish, squid, shrimp, and crabs are safe for human consumption if they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and their internal organs, such as gills and intestines, are removed before cooking.
“The interplay of unusual weather patterns is seen to have a direct impact on unpredictable weather conditions in Eastern Visayas. Dry season and the onset of occasional heavy rainfalls could have triggered the upwelling of inner shallow bays, bringing up sediments laden with red tide microorganism cysts,” the BFAR Eastern Visayas regional office said in a statement.
These microorganisms, the agency added, use the organic load that comes with the sediments to start the bloom.
"This occurred as a series of events in different inner bodies of water and was further intensified by the ever-changing current patterns in these areas, further spreading the red tide blooms,” BFAR said.
Red tide occurs when certain types of algae grow out of control.
The name “red tide” comes from the fact that the overgrowth of algae can cause the color of the water to turn red. The visible discoloration indicates a high presence of toxic microorganisms. (PNA)
