MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Thursday warned the public against collecting and eating shellfish gathered from 10 coastal areas in the country due to red tide toxins.

In its Shellfish Bulletin No. 6 dated March 10, BFAR said its latest laboratory tests on shellfishes collected from several coastal waters in various parts of the Visayas and Mindanao indicated positive results for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit.

These coastal areas include:

• Coastal Waters of Inner Malampaya Sound, Taytay in Palawan
• Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon
• Coastal Waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol
• Tambobo Bay, Siaton in Negros Oriental
• Coastal Waters of Calubian, and Cancato Bay, Tacloban City in Leyte
• Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur
• Murcielagos Bay (Sapang Dalaga and Baliangao) and Coastal Waters of Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental
• Taguines Lagoon, Benoni, Mahinog in Camiguin
• Balite Bay, Mati City in Davao Oriental
• Lianga Bay and Coastal waters of Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur

BFAR said that all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from the areas mentioned are not safe for human consumption.

On the other hand, 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, it added.

A blue whale was found dead along the shores of Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay on Monday (March 1).

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) the 23-feet long whale, weighing more than 1,000 kilos was found in Barangay San Roque.

Based on BFAR’s initial investigation the whale sustained wounds on its body. It will undergo a necropsy to determine its cause of death.

Meanwhile, the bureau reminds the public not to consume whale meat due to health hazards. AAC (with reports from Val Villaflor)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) has lifted the three-month closed fishing season in the Visayan Sea.

“Knowing its importance to our country’s economy and overall food security, it is our duty to protect these species from further degradation using a science-based approach to fisheries management, parallel with the strategies of the OneDA approach to effect transformation in the agro-fishery sector,” DA-BFAR National Director Eduardo Gongona said of the order which took effect midnight of Tuesday (February 16).

Gongona added that conservation measures like the sardine closed season are integrated in the National Sardines Management Plan which the DA-BFAR is already adopting.

Under the Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 167-3 s. 2013, the government places the Visayan Sea and its vicinities under closed fishing season from November 15 to February 15 annually.

Said measure aims to ensure the protection and conservation of sardines and herrings (Clupeidae), as well as mackerels (Scombridae) in the said fishing ground during their spawning period.