Cebu City government monitors shellfish sold in markets

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) is monitoring the city’s markets to ensure that all kinds of shellfish being sold are safe for consumption after the red tide alert was raised in Bohol last Monday.

This after Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-7 has warned the public not to eat shellfish coming from Bohol due to the presence of red tide toxin.

DVMF head Dr. Alice Utlang said that as of now, the public has nothing to worry about as shellfish sold in the city's markets have passed inspection and are good for consumption.

"Diri sa atua, SOP (standard operating procedure) man gyud na niya nga basta naa gani advisory, ang inspectors sa fishery division mag-inspect gyud na didto. Ang atoang tawo dili man tanan part sa Bohol, mao na basta naa’y auxiliary permit nga gi-issue gikan sa Bohol sa maong shellfish, pwede na dawaton diri sa ato," she said.

Auxiliary permit is similar to shipping permit of the fisheries products, she said.

"Pero even though naa’y auxiliary permit ang atoang tawo gyud nag-see to it na tinuod gyud na kay wala man ta kahibawo nga kanang tinuod ba gyud na. Basin og gisagulan og gikan didto sa infected area… Nagkuha og sample ang atong mga tawo, nag-sampling sa mga shellfish nga naa diha, then gipa-examine sad sa taga-BFAR unya so far negative man," she explained further.

Utlang said the inspectors will still continue their random inspection on stalls selling shellfish in the city’s markets.

Last Monday, the BFAR-7 warned against eating and catching shellfish in the coastal waters of Tagbilaran City and Dauis town in Bohol.

This as BFAR tested these shellfish as positive for paralytic shellfish poison or red tide toxin.

Utlang said most of the shellfish in the city's markets are from Zamboanga, Bohol, Samar, and Olango Island.

"Awhag sa publiko nga mangayo sila og asa ang permit anang ilang gipalit, auxiliary permit, fishery o shipping permit sa BFAR," she said.

Utlang said those vendors or fishermen that do not have auxiliary permit will be held liable.

"Diri sa ato anang dapita, wala man tay balaod ana, ang national ra. Pero didto man na nato ig-on sa Consumers Act og Food Safety Act, so duha kabuok. Unya ang Food Safety Act ang penalty kay P100,000 to P200,000," she said. (FREEMAN)