Philippines Shellfish Bulletin No. 32 (29September2017)

According to the Philippines Shellfish Bulletin No. 32 published 29September2017: shellfishes collected at Irong-Irong Bay, Maqueda Bay, Villareal Bay and Coastal waters of Daram Island in Western Samar; Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar; Carigara Bay in Leyte; Tambobo Bay, Siaton in Negros Oriental; Inner Malampaya Sound, Taytay and Puerto Princesa Bay, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan; Coastal waters of Gigantes Islands, Carles in Iloilo; and Coastal waters of Milagros and Mandaon in Masbate are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit.

Do not harvest.  Do not sell.  Do not buy.  Do not eat.

The document was signed by Eduardo Gongona, undersecretary for fisheries of the department of agriculture / Director, BFAR

For redtide updates: https://www.bfar.da.gov.ph/redtide

For more information, view/download the pdf: https://goo.gl/bLMiZx

Redtide in the Philippines. A paper by former undersecretary Dr K. Hartigan-Go

Link to PubMed.gov: Redtide in the Philippines.
Link to the Journal: Redtide in the Philippines (1 December 1994)

This was an amazing find.  The paper of a former undersecretary of the Department of Health of the Philippines (during the administration of President Aquino) and former chief of the Food and Drug Administration and my former professor in Asian Institute of Management.

The abstract defined redtide as a marine phenomenon with great risk to health and livelihood, especially in coastal areas.

It presented 4 redtide incidents in the Philippines, the clinical features of redtide poinsoing (including deaths secondary to ventilatory failur), and lessons learned.

The paper enumerated the features of an effective toxicovigilance programme, poison centres and toxicovigilant activities.

Philippines Shellfish Bulletin No. 26 (7September2016)

According to the Philippines Shellfish Bulletin No. 26 published 7September2016: Some areas in Visayas are still affected by paralytic shellfish.

I was first alerted by this news from: https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews/status/773711571360952321

Information on Red Tide by BFAR and DOH

Below are links to: "Mga Kaalaman Tungkol sa Red Tide"

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1bwHe7LQYp0akJYdC1kREo2SDA
http://www.bfar.da.gov.ph/bfar/download/redtide/RedTideInfo_Tagalog.pdf

The document was co-published by:

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Agriculture (www.BFAR.gov.ph)

National Red Tide Task Force, Inter-Agency Committee on Environmental Health, Department of Health (www.DOH.gov.ph)

The document is written in Tagalog/Filipino and has black and white illustrations.  The cover of the document is colored and shows the microscopic view of pyrodinium and gymnodinium)

Latest information (as of 10May2016)

On 23 April 2016 the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) released Shellfish Bulletin No. 14 Series of 2016:

"Based on the latest laboratory results of BFAR and Local Government Units (LGUs), shellfishes collected in all coastal waters monitored are now free of red tide toxins."

The Bulletin was signed by the Director: Atty. Asis G. Perez

Philippines Shellfish Bulletin by BFAR on 4 November 2013

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Acquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Philippines, shellfishes from the following are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit:
1. Dumanquilias Bay (Zamboanga del Sur)
2. Murcielagos Bay (Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental)
3. Balite Bay (Mati Davao Oriental)
4. coastal waters of Milagros (Masbate)
5. Bataan coastal waters (Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Orani, Abucay and Samal)

It should be noted that BFAR advised that all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from the areas listed above are NOT SAFE for human consumption.

Fish, squids, shrimps and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.

For more information please refer to BFAR website:
http://www.bfar.da.gov.ph/pages/AboutUs/sidetabs/ALERTS/redtideupdate2013.html

3 red tide alerts in the Philippines for 2012

As of October 16, 2012, there were 3 red tide alerts in the Philippines (source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Red tide alert up

Friday, July 13th, 2012
By Jhunnex Napallacan

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/228553/red-tide-alert-up

BOHOL—The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has raised a red tide alert in parts of Tagbilaran City and banned shellfish gathering and sale.

At least three coastal villages are covered by the ban—Poblacion 1, Poblacion 2 and Cogon. The ban is also in effect in parts of Barangays Mansasa and Booy. Jhunnex Napallacan, Inquirer Visayas


Red tide alert up in Bohol
Wednesday, July 11th, 2012
By Jhunnex Napallacan

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/227287/red-tide-alert-up-in-bohol

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources office in Bohol has raised a red tide alert in the capital city of Tagbilaran.

Residents are warned against the gathering and eating shellfish from a section of Maribujoc Bay, particularly the waters between Tagbilaran City and the town of Dauis.

Cresencio Pahamutang, BFAR provincial officer based in Tagbilaran, said shellfish gathered along Tagbilaran-Dauis channel, which separates the island of Panglao from the Bohol main island, was not safe to eat due to the high level of the red tide toxin.

At least three barangays were affected by red tide. These were Poblacion 1, Poblacion 2, Cogon, a portion of Mansasa and part of Booy, all located along the Tagbilaran-Dauis channel.

Pahamutang all the barangay captains and councilors in these villages were asked to disseminate the information to their constituents.

Pahamutang said fish caught in the area may be eaten provided they were prepared and cleaned properly and their gills and intestines taken out.

The red tide alarm started around three weeks ago when a foreigner staying at Matig-a Lodge on Burgos Street in Tagbilaran City noticed the red coloration of the sea below the lodge.

According to Pahamutang, the management of the lodge reported the water discoloration to the BFAR, which immediately sent personnel to take water samples from at least seven places in the area, he said.

The tests were positive for red tide. A second sampling last week showed lower toxin levels but they were still higher than normal, Pahamutang said.

The BFAR will another water sampling on Thursday to determine if the situation has returned to normal and would warrant a lifting of the public warning.

Pahamutang said he sent a kilogram of mussels gathered from the affected areas to the BFAR laboratory in Manila but the samples were found negative for red tide. Still, Pahamutang said, the BFAR could not lift the warning based on that alone.

He noted that no one was reported to have been taken ill, which could be due to the early detection of the red tide in the area.

Red tide alert up in Pangasinan
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
By Jocelyn R. Uy


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/137485/red-tide-alert-up-in-pangasinan

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Health (DoH) on Tuesday advised the public to avoid eating shellfish harvested from Wawa River in Pangasinan following an advisory on the presence of red tide toxin by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

In its latest bulletin, the BFAR said toxins were found in Wawa River in Bani town, Pangasinan, while the waters of six provinces continued to be positive for paralytic shellfish poison “that is beyond the regulatory limit.”

Identified as positive for red tide were Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental; Masinloc Bay in Zambales; and Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar.

Shellfish harvested from Bataan coastal waters—Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Orani, Abucal and Samal—are also not fit for consumption, according to the BFAR bulletin.

But fish, squid, shrimp and crab from all these areas are safe for human consumption but they should be fresh, thoroughly washed and its internal organs removed before cooking, added the advisory.

According to the DoH, symptoms of red tide poisoning include dizziness, headache, facial numbness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and paralysis, breathing difficulty, which could lead to death