The public is warned against consuming shellfish from the Balite Bay in Mati City, Davao Oriental due to the growing of the Red Tide organisms in its water.
Loida Aborque, chief chemist and head of the Red Tide Monitoring Team of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Davao Region a corresponding Red Tide Bulletin might be issued in April 2017 in the area, growing of Pyrodinium Bahamense-microtoxin, the red tide carrying microbes at 1,000 cells per liter of water is alarming.
She clarified that it is their national office that issues the corresponding Red Tide Bulletin.
“Eating shellfish from a Red Tide contaminated habitat is dangerous to public health,” Aborque stressed.
She said these microbes thrive favorably in dirty environment.
Aborque advised the public to participate in coastal clean-up activities and not to rely solely on shellfish for food.
She also urged the local government units from the city down to the barangays to regulate the operation of shrimp culture in the area and to look deeply on the disposition of domestic wastes.
In a text message, Fatma Idris, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said the shellfish bulletin is not yet issued but the public is being warned because of the alarming growth of the red tide microbes in the area. (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)
