RETURN OF RED TIDE. A portion of Eastern Samar's map showing Matarinao Bay. The red tide toxin has recurred in Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources reported on Tuesday (Dec. 13, 2022). (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources map)
TACLOBAN CITY – Red tide has recurred in Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar two months after it was declared toxin-free, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reported on Tuesday.
The changes in weather patterns are among the factors that triggered the recurrence of the red tide phenomenon, the BFAR regional office said in a statement.
“To safeguard human lives, a local red tide warning is issued in this area as a precautionary advice to the public to refrain from gathering, selling, and eating all types of shellfishes and Acetes sp. locally known as alamang or hipon from the said bay,” BFAR said.
Matarinao Bay covers the coastal waters of General MacArthur, Hernani, Quinapondan and Salcedo in Eastern Samar.
BFAR lifted the shellfish ban in Matarinao Bay in mid-October this year.
Through testing, BFAR found that shellfish samples from the bay have over 60 micrograms of toxins for every 100 grams of meat, beyond the regulatory limit.
Meat samples gathered in the coastal waters of Leyte, Leyte have been sent to the BFAR National Fisheries Laboratory for confirmatory test and inclusion in the nationwide shellfish bulletin.
In an advisory issued on Dec. 9, BFAR said red tide persists in Irong-Irong Bay and San Pedro Bay in Samar province three weeks after testing found toxins in both water and shellfish samples collected in these areas.
Based on regular monitoring held since Nov. 21, 2022, red tide continues to plague the bay, according to BFAR.
Irong-Irong Bay is located in Catbalogan City, the capital of Samar province while San Pedro Bay is situated in the towns of Basey, also in Samar.
The two bays are included in the national shellfish bulletin issued by the BFAR central office.
Local red tide advisories are still placed within the coastal waters of Leyte, Leyte; Cancabato Bay in Tacloban City and coastal waters of Guiuan in Eastern Samar.
The BFAR regional office here is still waiting for confirmatory test result from the BFAR National Fisheries Laboratory.
Fish, squid, crab and shrimp gathered from these areas are safe to eat provided that all entrails are removed and the marine products are washed thoroughly with running water before cooking.
The BFAR asked local government units to heighten their watch against the gathering, trading and consumption of shellfish to prevent the incidence of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) which can occur minutes after ingesting bivalve shellfish (such as mussels, oysters, and clams) that contain red tide toxins.
Early PSP symptoms include tingling of the lips and tongue and may progress to tingling of fingers and toes and then loss of control of arms and legs, followed by difficulty in breathing.
Red tide is a term used to describe a phenomenon where the water is discolored by high algal biomass or a high concentration of algae. (PNA)
