DAVAO CITY – Seafood lovers are warned of eating shellfish from Balete Bay in Mati City, Davao Oriental as the red tide alert in the area is still in force.
In a Philippine Information Agency dispatch, Fatma Idris, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Davao Region said since January, a red tide bulletin has been issued in the markets and with the assistance of the local government unit in the area.
“Eating shellfish and other fishes from Balete Bay in Mati City, Davao Oriental is banned. It is one area of the country where a red tide alert has been issued,” she said.
Red tide is a common name for a phenomenon known as large concentrations of aquatic microorganisms that produce natural toxins and is detrimental to living things which might take it for food. It is usually found in coastal areas. Idris said paralysis is the immediate impact of red tide intake to humans.
Idris said shellfish and crabs are bottom-dwellers and are prone to consume or filter-eaters of red tide organisms.(davaotoday.com)
