Sorsogon Bay now free of red tide contamination

News Release

Sorsogon Bay now free of red tide contamination

By: Bennie A. Recebido

Sorsogon City, March 23 (PIA) – After barely eight months of waiting and craving for shellfishes, residents here particularly those dependent to shellfish industry from Sorsogon Bay have now reason to celebrate following the declaration of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that Sorsogon Bay is now free of the Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP).

This means, all marine products from the said bay are now safe for human consumption and can already be harvested, transported and sold.

BFAR’s Shellfish Bulletin No. 7 dated March 21, 2011, finally remove Sorsogon Bay from the list of areas positive for red tide toxin.

Shellfih Bulletin says only Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental and the coastal waters of Bolinao and Anda in Pangasinan are positive of PSP which is beyond the regulatory limit.

It can be noted that on March 2010, Sorsogon Bay was declared negative of  PSP but again recorded a high toxicity level beyond the tolerable limit of 60 microgram per 100 grams of shellfish meat in July 2010 prompting authorities to hoist anew a total shellfish ban.

Meanwhile, prior to the declaration of Sorsogon bay as free from red tide toxin, BFAR has declared ahead Juag Lagoon free of the deadly toxin on September 9, 2010 to present. The new declaration now clears all waters of the province from the threats of PSP.

BFAR in its advisory, however, maintains its call to the public in spite of the new declaration to continuously keep an eye and regularly monitor latest development and announcements on the condition of Sorsogon Bay and Juag Lagoon as well.  “The public has also to ensure their own safety by cleaning well the fishes and shellfish before cooking them well and make sure that the sea foods they are going to cook are fresh,” the advisory further says. (PIA Sorsogon)