Red tide alert over the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City had been hoisted for six months already. since March 22 toxin might linger longer over the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran.
This is based on Shellfish Bulletin no. 25 of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) dated September 25, 2018.
The other areas found to be positive of red tide toxin are Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur, and the coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate.
The red tide alert over the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City had been hoisted for six months already.
BFAR found that these areas “are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit”.
Honda Bays and Puerto Princesa, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan that were included among the areas positive for red tide in Shellfish Bulletin dated September 7, 2018 are now cleared.
Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur, and the coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate which were not included in the September 7 Shellfish Bulletin are now positive.
Puerto Princesa Bay in Palawan has been in the list in the Shellfish Bulletin of BFAR dated June 5, 2018.
The June 5 shellfish bulletin included the same areas covered in the June 25 shellfish bulletin- -coastal waters of Biliran province, Leyte in Leyte, Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur, Dauis and Tagbilaran in Bohol, and Honda Bay in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.
Biliran province, and Leyte are already safe by now.
It can be noted that the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City had the longest period of red tide alert.
Prior to the March 22 hoisting, the last red tide episode was lifted on May 10 last year.
According to BFAR Director Eduardo Gongona, these areas are “still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit”.
Gongona warned that “all types of shellfish and Acetes species or alamang gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption”.
“Fish, squids, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption, provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking,” according to Gongona.
Other monitored areas that used to land on the list from time to time “continue to be free from toxic red tides” and these areas include the coastal waters of Cavite, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Navotas, Bulacan and Bataan (Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Orani, Abucay and Samal) in Manila Bay.
Also maintaining its red tide-free status are the coastal waters of Bolinao, Anda, Alaminos, Sual and Wawa, Bani in Pangasinan; Masinloc Bay in Zambales; Milagros, Mandaon and Placer in Masbate; Juag Lagoon, and Matnog and Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon; Inner Malampaya Sound, Taytay in Palawan; Gigantes Islands, Carles in Iloilo; Pilar, Panay, President Roxas; Roxas City in Capiz and Sapian Bay (Ivisan and Sapian in Capiz; Mambuquiao and Camanci, Batan in Aklan).
Other areas that remained free red tide are Batan Bay and coastal waters of Altavas and New Washington in Aklan; E.B. Magalona, Talisay City, Silay City, Bacolod City, Hinigaran and Victorias City in Negros Occidental;
Also red tide-free are Tambobo and Siit Bays, Siaton and Bais Bay of Bais City in Negros Oriental.
In Eastern Visayas, the coastal waters of Daram Island, Maqueda, Villareal, Irong-Irong and Cambatutay Bays in Western Samar; Matarao Bay in Eastern Samar; San Pedro, Carigara and Cancabato Bays, Tacloban City and coastal waters of Calubian in Leyte also remain red tide-free.
Other red tide-free areas are Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; Tantanang Bay in Zamboanga Sibugay; Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental; Taguines Lagoon, Benoni, Mahinog in Camiguin Island; Balite Bay, Mati in Davao Oriental; and Hinatuan and Bislig Bays in Surigao del Sur.
Meanwhile, BFAR-Bohol has already been alarmed on the frequent recurrence of red tide invasion in the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City.
BFAR-Bohol Head Leo Bongalos, for his part, said it is still uncertain when the red tide alert over Dauis and Tagbilaran coastal waters could be lifted.
It has been noted that it usually lasts about five months and beyond for the areas of Dauis and Tagbilaran.
Bongalos had earlier explained that the long period of red tide invasion in these contiguous areas could be attributed to the slow current of seawaters and its lagoon-like shape that restricts the movement of the organisms within the area.
The frame of the bridge along the causeway connecting the mainland and Panglao island at the Poblacion I point of Tagbilaran and the fronting Dauis side of the island is also being studied for its possible contribution to the situation and for reference in the planned third bridge to connect the mainland and Panglao Island.
The last red tide episode in the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran that lasted six months was lifted on May 10 last year.
BFAR earlier noted the most alarming red tide incidence in June 2015 when 12 individuals were found positive of red tide toxins after eating shellfish gathered from Dauis and Tagbilaran.
It prompted BFAR to check on the red tide concentration in the seawaters of Dauis and Tagbilaran which resulted to the series of findings that these areas had high concentration of red tide toxins.
BFAR hoisted the red tide alert since then until March 2016.
Red tide concentration again in these areas increased to an intolerable level in the last quarter of 2016.
BFAR-7 hoisted again the red tide alert covering Dauis and Tagbilaran areas on November 19, 2016, after laboratory results showed high concentration of red tide organisms in these areas.
On May 10 last year, BFAR lifted the red tide alert, after finding from laboratory results that the Dauis and Tagbilaran seawaters are already free from red tide toxins.
High concentration of red tide toxins was also found in the same areas in the past, prompting BFAR to hoist the red tide alert from June in 2015 until March 2016.
In the middle of October 2016, BFAR-7 started noting signs of possible resurgence of red tide toxins to high concentration.