The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has detected toxic red tide in the coastal waters of Bohol and three other areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.
In a statement, BFAR said the toxic red tide, or Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP), was found to be beyond the regulatory limit during the testing conducted recently.
The samples from the shellfishes were collected from the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol; San Pedro Bay in Samar; Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; and Lianga Bay in Surigao del Sur.
“All types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from the areas shown above are not safe for human consumption,” the BFAR statement read.
“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.
Other areas that are usually the source of shellfishes are free from toxic red tide, according to the BFAR.