Red tide invades Ormoc Bay, Biliran waters

TACLOBAN CITY — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources regional office in Eastern Visayas (BFAR 8) issued a shellfish ban in Ormoc Bay and the waters surrounding Biliran Island after shellfishes collected from these waters tested positive for paralytic shellfish poison beyond the regulatory limit.

In a report released last Tuesday, BFAR 8 said that the inclusion of these waters brings the total number of red tide-positive areas in the region to six.

The other four areas are Daram Island, Zumarraga Island, Irong-Irong Bay in Samar, and the municipal waters of Leyte.

Ormoc Bay encompasses the waters of Ormoc City and the towns of Albuera and Merida in Leyte.

BFAR 8 said that a shellfish ban is in effect, prohibiting the harvesting, eating, and collecting of all types of shellfish and alamang from these waters. Violators will face penalties.

Meanwhile, BFAR 8 also declared local red tide advisories on Cancabato Bay in Tacloban, Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, and the coastal waters of Guiuan, Eastern Samar and Calbayog City after filtered seawater samples collected from these areas tested positive for Pyrodinium bahamense, a dinoflagellate that produces red tide toxin.

The agency issued the advisories as a precautionary measure to the public to refrain from gathering, selling and eating all types of shellfishes and “alamang or hipon” from these areas to avoid possible paralytic shellfish poisoning.