(newenglandboating.com Photo)
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Visayas (BFAR-7) has urged the public to refrain from eating shellfish until such time that they can lift the red tide warning in the Dauis, Bohol Province.
Alma Saavedra, BFAR-7 information officer, said that, at present, there is still a red tide in the area.
“While we care for the fishermen and those selling shellfish, we cannot put the public in danger. And so, we have to tell them not to consume any shellfish, since we could not tell where these shellfish come from. Right now, the only thing we could say is it is safe to eat local fish except for the shellfish,” said Saavedra,
In Eastern Visayas, last Dec. 21, an 81-year old man from Cabucgayan, Biliran Province died while three others fell ill after eating oysters from Basud Village, which were suspected to contain red tide toxins.
Dr. Nancy Dayap, aquaculturist of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Eastern Visayas (BFAR-8), said the oysters eaten by the victims might have been harvested from the waters off Carigara Bay, one of the seven bays in Eastern Visayas that remained contaminated with red tide toxins.