The Department of Agriculture in the Ilocos Region has advised against gathering and eating tahong (mussels) and talaba (oysters) and other shellfishes from Anda and Bolinao towns as these were found to be positive for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP).

DA Regional Director Nestor Domenden, in a letter to Governor Victor Agbayani, said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources  Shellfish Bulletin No. 07 and the results of the analysis of fresh shellmeat samples showed that these were positive of the dangerous poison caused by red tide organisms.

Agbayani has enjoined the municipal mayors of the two towns to inform the public to “refrain from harvesting, gathering, transporting, marketing and eating shellfish from the said areas until further notice.”

Domenden however, said fishes harvested from the same areas are safe for human consumption provided these are fresh and washed thoroughly and their internal organs such as gills and intestines and removed before cooking.

Shellfish Bulleting  No 07 dated April 13 also said that several coastal areas are still positive for red tide toxin (PSP toxins) and toxic red tide organisms and therefore under shellfish ban.

These are the coastal waters of Milagros in Masbate; Honda Bay in Puerto Princesa; Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; Balite Bay in Mati, Davao Oriental; Juag Lagoon in Matnog, Sorsogon; Irong-irong Bay in Samar and Lianga Bay in Barobo and Bislig Bay in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur. 

Records of the BFAR showed that mussels gathered in Luciente and Luna villages in Bolinao and Siapar in Anda, were positive for PSP.

Domenden however, said that the BFAR is doing regular monitoring to find out if the shellfish gathered in the areas can already be declared safe.

“The local governments of Anda and Bolinao are tightly guarding the affectged areas,” he said.

According to a brochure on red tide published by the BFAR, the symptoms of PSP in humans include numbness of face and around the mouth, vomiting, nausea, headache, tingling sensations in hands and feet, fast pulse rate, difficulty in speaking and difficulty in swallowing. These symptoms occur 30 minutes after ingesting the poison.

Death may occur 12 hours after eating affected shellfish because of paralyis of lungs and the respiratory system. Some years back, at least three persons from Bolinao died of PSP.

According to a brochure on red tide published by the BFAR, shellfishes affected with PSP do not have exhibit physical symptoms and that the poison can not be removed by cooking.

The shellfish can be affected although the water from where it was harvested is not red, the BFAR brochure said.