The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reminded the public that the red tide alert remained imposed in Tagbilaran City and Dauis town, over a month after the agency released its first advisory.

According to the BFAR, seas in the two localities continued to test positive for paralytic shellfish poison.

The BFAR maintained its shellfish ban in the two areas noting that said seafood should not be harvested, eaten or sold.

Meanwhile, fish and other seafood such as squid, shrimp and crab caught in Tagbilaran and Dauis seas are still safe for consumption but these should be properly washed.

“Ang isda diha makaon nato na pero atong kuhaan og tinai, hasang ug kanang naa sa sud sa ginhawaan unya hugasan nato sa running water, kanang gikan sa gripo, dili sa planggana,” said BFAR officer-in-charge Leo Bongalos in an earlier interview.

According to Bongalos, wastes, dead leaves and topsoil, may have been flushed to the affected waters, causing the buildup of organic deposits that led to the unusual growth of toxic and non-toxic colonies of algae.

“Tungod na sa organic deposit gikan sa upland nga nagkadaghan nga makapa-enhance sa algae nga maoy tawgon nga algal bloom,” said Bongalos.

Bongalos said that the BFAR has been monitoring the seawaters surrounding Tagbilaran City and Dauis weekly ever since these were hit with red tide several times in the past.

“Sa ubang mga lugar, kasagaran, mo balik gyud gihapon once ma-igo na,” he said.

In 2016, waters off Dauis and Tagbilaran were listed as red tide-affected areas and were only cleared in April, 2017. (rt)