No more Red Tide in Bataan

The water test last week off Samal town’s waters turned out negative, drawing hopes for a waited ending to the longest red tide phenomenon in Bataan history.

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) disclosed that the water sample from Samal, which is the remaining town in Bataan affected by red tide, turned out negative last August 5.

This means that two more consecutive weeks of negative tests and the nightmare of fishermen and the consuming public will be over.

First raised November 5 last year, this red tide phenomenon is considered by OPA as the longest that Bataan has experienced.

“I really hope that this ends because we don’t want the fishermen to suffer more,” provincial agriculturist Imelda Inieto said in a phone interview.

Inieto explained that the red tide alert in Bataan cannot be lifted yet even if only one town is affected because as per regulation of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), all towns must be negative of red tide toxin for three consecutive weeks.

In its shellfish bulletin no. 20 issued August 7, BFAR still prohibits the consumption of all types of shellfish and alamang due to threat of paralytic shellfish poisoning.

It allows though the consumption of fish, shrimp, squid and crab provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.

Red tide is a term used to describe coastal phenomenon in which the water is discolored by high algal biomass or concentration of algae.

The discoloration may not be necessarily red in color but it may also appear yellow, brown, green, blue or milky, depending on the organisms involved.

Almost always red tides are damaging since they cause harm to the environment, living organisms and humans.

Some cause mass mortality of fish and some produce potent toxins that jeopardize the public. (PIA 3)