8 areas still positive for paralytic shellfish poison —BFAR

Shellfish collected from eight areas still tested positive for paralytic shellfish poison, said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Monday.

However, Maqueda and Villareal Bays in Western Samar are now free from the toxic red tides.

According to a BFAR bulletin dated January 15, all types of shellfish and alamang in the following areas are unsafe for human consumption as they contain “beyond the regulatory limit” of paralytic shellfish poison.

• Irong-Irong Bay in Western Samar
• Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar
• Coastal waters of Leyte
• Carigara Bay in Leyte
• Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur
• Honda Bay, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan
• Coastal waters of Mandaon in Masbate
• Coastal waters of Bataan (Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Orani, Abucay and Samal)

The BFAR warned against harvesting, selling, buying and eating shellfish from these areas.

Fish, squids, shrimps and crabs gathered from these waters can be consumed as long as they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs like gills and intestines are removed prior to cooking, said the bulletin.

"Paralytic shellfish poisoning is the most common shellfish poisoning syndrome in the Philippines. It is caused by red tides, or the high concentration of algae in bodies of water, giving it a discoloration that can also appear “yellow, brown, green, blue or milky, depending on the organisms involved,” according to a fact sheet from the Marine Biotoxins Laboratory of the BFAR.

The toxin can cause tingling of the lips and tongue, which could spread to the face, neck, fingertips and toes usually within 30 minutes, followed by headache, dizziness, and nausea.

“In severe cases, muscular paralysis and respiratory difficulty may occur within five to 12 hours. Fatalities from respiratory paralysis have been reported,” the fact sheet added. —ALG, GMA News