By Joseph Almer Pedrajas  The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said low-level salinity of water in some parts of Manila Bay caused the death of shellfish in some areas in southern Metro Manila last week. (ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN) “Based on the initial laboratory report, the level of salinity in the areas , which ranged from 19-25 parts per thousand (ppt), is lower than the required level for shellfish survival, which is 27-35 ppt,” BFAR said in a statement. The bureau also said “the heavy rainfall in the past few days may have triggered the salinity of the water to drop.” But BFAR assured that consumption of shellfish from the affected fishing ground is still safe, although, the public is advised “to collect only live shellfish and wash them properly before cooking.” Cesar Canoy, Las Piñas City fishery technologist, said Cavite's low-level water salinity might also be probably the case on the coast of Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area's (LPPCHEA) Freedom and Long islands on Oct. 10 since they are connected. A day after on Oct. 11, several kilos of dead mussels and oysters started to turn up in some aqua farms of Las Piñas and Parañaque following a fish kill that also killed about 30 tubs of various species of fish, including sapsap, salaysay, bagaong, asuhos, banak, tilapia, and salinyase. According to Saturday's inventory of the two local government units, about 500 kilos of shellfish were wasted in Parañaque while some 150 kilos of dead mussels were recovered in Las Piñas. Authorities also feared that losses for fisherfolk and vendors could reach P2 million. The result of the water test conducted by BFAR showed, “poor levels of dissolved oxygen and higher levels of ammonia and phosphates than the standard level” caused the fish kill. The BFAR said the ammonia might have come from decaying organic waste and other agricultural, domestic and industrial waste; while the phosphate might have come from domestic sewage or from agricultural and urban areas.