RED TIDE. Personnel from the Madridejos town's agriculture office hold an information drive to the fisherfolks regarding the presence of red tide in the municipal waters in this undated photo. Mayor Romeo Villaceran on Tuesday (Oct. 24, 2023) said fishermen in their municipality are told not to gather and eat seashells and "alamang" (krill) to avoid paralytic shellfish poisoning. (Photo courtesy of the Municipality of Madridejos)
CEBU CITY - Officials in the island town of Madridejos in northern Cebu on Tuesday warned their fishermen about the red tide contamination in the municipal waters.
Mayor Romeo Villaceran, in a statement posted on the municipality’s official social media page, warned fishermen against collecting seashells such as oysters (talaba), scallops (kabibi), cockles (litob), mussels (tahong), clams (halaan), and "alamang" (krill).
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) confirmed on its Oct. 21 advisory about the presence of red tide in the seawater of Madridejos.
Villaceran said their constituents are warned not to harvest and consume shellfish in the meantime that the BFAR’s ban is still in effect, noting that municipal agriculture personnel are conducting regular inspections in the market and coastal areas.
“We will confiscate banned shellfish and 'alamang' if our Municipal Agriculture’s Office find them during their inspections,” he said.
Shellfish infected with red tide may cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) that results in paralysis, headaches, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, difficulty speaking, weakness, and even death. (PNA)
