Consumers were warned against the consumption of shellfishes collected from nine places in the country where toxic 'red tide' persists.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) identified the affected areas as the coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate; coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol; San Pedro Bay in Western Samar; Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar; Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte; Murcielagos Bay (Sapang Dalaga and Baliangao) in Misamis Occidental; Balite Bay in Mati City, Davao Oriental; and Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur.
According to the latest laboratory results from BFAR, shellfishes collected from these coastal waters "are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) or toxic red tide that is beyond the regulatory limit."
All types of shellfish and alamang gathered from the affected coastal waters are not safe for human consumption, the agency said.
Fish, squids, shrimps and crabs, however, 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.
Meanwhile, Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon has been declared free of red tide.