RED-TIDE FREE. The shellfish industry in the Bicol Region received good news on Thursday (March 25, 2021) after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources declared Sorsogon Bay red-tide free. Samples were taken for three consecutive weeks, according to officials. (PNA file photo)
LEGAZPI CITY – Gathering, selling, and transporting all types of shellfish from Sorsogon Bay are now permitted after samples turned out negative for paralytic shellfish toxin (PSP) that causes red tide, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Bicol said.
BFAR-Bicol spokesperson Nonie Enolva, in an interview on Thursday, said Shellfish Advisory No. 23 lifted the shellfish ban imposed in December last year.
“Based on the results of the red tide monitoring activities of the BFAR and the local government units (LGUs), shellfish collected from Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon are now negative for the red tide toxin,” the BFAR-Bicol advisory read.
The negative results for PSP were obtained from three consecutive weeks of sampling the area, Enolva added.
"The good news is very timely for those who are dependent on shellfish harvesting and for the coming Holy Week," she said.
Commodore Eduardo Gongona, BFAR National Director, said in a statement that the agency and LGUs are continuously monitoring Sorsogon to safeguard public health and to protect the shellfish industry.
“Shellfish samples harvested from Sorsogon Bay are now safe for human consumption,” he confirmed. (PNA)
