Shellfish ban is up in nine areas all over the country as red tide toxins continued to plague the coastal waters of several provinces, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said.
Algal blooms beyond the regulatory limit were recorded in the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol; Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; and Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur.
New areas declared by BFAR to have red tide infestation were the bays of Villareal, Cambatutay, and San Pedro in Western Samar; Carigara Bay and coastal waters of Leyte; and Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar.
The term “red tide” is used to describe the algal bloom phenomenon wherein the water is discolored by high concentrations of toxic and nontoxic algae in the water. —Karl R. Ocampo