2 more Pangasinan towns hit by red tide

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — A red tide alert has been raised by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in two coastal towns of western Pangasinan, authorities said Thursday.

The alert has also prompted the BFAR Region 1 to issue a temporary ban on the gathering, sale and consumption of shellfish coming from waters off Bolinao and Anda towns.

These are an addition to an earlier shellfish ban issued by BFAR to cover Wawa River in Bani, same province, where the first red tide alert was raised this year.

Experts explained that the presence of red tide toxins cause paralytic poisoning of individuals who eat the red tide-infected shellfishes.

They also linked this incident to the prevalence of the climatic condition known as the El Niño phenomenon.

In order to ensure that the shellfishes being sold in the different markets are free from red tide toxins, the BFAR ordered all market inspectors in Region 1 and the Cordilleras to strictly monitor the origin of shellfish delivered to various markets.