DAGUPAN CITY -- The city government law enforcers seized 35 sacks of shellfish harvested from Bolinao waters which had been declared by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)to be positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) or red tide toxin.
The 35 sacks of shellfish were supposed to be sold at the Magsaysay fish market on Friday. The Public Order and Safety Office personnel were present during the inspection around 1:30 a.m. at the market.
The City Information Office reported that Rolly Dulay, the agricultural technologist of the City Agriculture Office (CAO), and Jessie Doria, the Bantay Ilog chief, confiscated the shellfish due to that BFAR warning.
BFAR has advised the public to refrain from eating, gathering or harvesting, transporting and marketing all types of shellfish and acetes, specially ‘alamang’ gathered at the coastal water of Bolinao until such time that the shellfish toxicity level reaches the regulatory or allowable limit of 60 ng STX/100g shellfish meat.
“Ang mga shellfish na nakumpiska ay binubuo ng 26 na sako ng tahong, tatlong sako ng kalwit, at anim na sakong halaan. Ang mga ito ay itinapon na,” the City Information Office reported.