Toxic red tide detected in shellfishes in 3 provinces —BFAR

Shellfishes in at least three provinces are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison or toxic red tide that is beyond the regulatory limit, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said Friday. 

In an advisory, BFAR said that the shellfishes collected from the following areas are not safe for human consumption: 

• coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol
• Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur
• coastal waters of San Benito in Surigao del Norte 

But the bureau said that fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs from the said areas are safe to be eaten “provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.” 

The BFAR warns that the taste and appearance of toxic shellfishes are no different from non-toxic ones. It added that even cooking cannot destroy the red tide toxin.—Vince Angelo Ferreras/AOL, GMA Integrated News