Red tide contaminates six water bodies in Samar

CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines – From two fishing bays earlier declared to be contaminated by “red tide,” the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-8 yesterday added four other bays that were also positive with the toxic micro-organisms.

Late last month, BFAR-8 declared Irong-Irong and Cambatutay Bays positive of “pyrodinium bahamense variety compressum,” a toxic micro-organism that results to paralytic shelffish poisoning.

BFAR-8 yesterday added to the list of contaminated fishing grounds, Maqueda Bay, Daram Waters, Villareal Bay and the Biliran Waters located just in front of Samar province.

In a local red tide warning, issued by BFAR-8 Regional Director Juan Albalajedo yesterday, he pointed out that samples collected from Maqueda Bay, Villareal Bay and Biliran Waters turned out to be positive of the toxins, based on the local laboratory analysis.

Samples were sent to Manila for further analysis but at this early BFAR-8 has warned the public to refrain from harvesting, selling and consuming all forms of shellfish from these water bodies.

On the other hand, samples collected from Daram Waters were also confirmed to be red-tde positive, with the BFAR Manila Laboratory concurring with the local laboratory findings of the BFAR-Samar and Daram LGU during their monitoring.

“Fish, Shrimps, squid and even crabs can be consumed, but it should be washed thoroughly and the entrails removed,” Baldalajeda said.

Fishermen and coastal residents, who mainly rely for their daily subsistence from Maqueda Bay, were saddened about the BFAR warning.

Fisherman Jovito Barrantes of Buri Island in this city, whose livelihood depends largely on dried squid, told The Freeman that it will again take a couple of months before they can harvest squid and get these dried,  which is more pricey than fresh squids.

“Even if we tell our customers that our dried squid were thoroughly cleaned, no one will believe us especially that these are small squids. We have to look for an alternative income for now,” Barrantes said.

He added that from their experience, it will take more or less two months before red tide organisms usually settles in Maqueda Bay. (FREEMAN)