Red Tide Alert Still Up in Balete Bay, Mati City

Davao City (PIA) — An official of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Davao Region has warned against the eating of shellfish harvested from Balete Bay in Mati City, Davao Oriental as the red tide alert in the area still prevails.

Fatma Idris, director of the BFAR 11 said consumers might be poisoned by eating shellfish from an area contaminated with red tide.

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.

“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.

Idris said shellfish and crabs are bottom-dwellers and are prone to consume or filter-eaters of red tide organisms.

She said paralysis is the immediate impact of red tide intake to humans.

Idris said the shellfish bulletin relative to red tide is currently an inter-agency effort.

She said the occurrence of red tide in the area is positive, so residents must be wary of avoiding the consumption of shellfish there.

Idris explained that since January, a red tide bulletin has been issued in the markets and with the assistance of the local government unit in the area. (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)