Shellfish ban lifted in two Pangasinan towns

DAGUPAN CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has lifted the shellfish ban in the Pangasinan towns of Bolinao and Anda after water and shellfish meat samples tested negative for red tide toxins.

Nestor Domenden, BFAR-Region 1 director, said Thursday the lifting of the shellfish ban is contained in an advisory issued last Monday.

Domenden said three consecutive laboratory tests showed below the regulatory limit or totally negative level of red tide toxins in water and shellfish meat samples from the two towns.

He said the safe or regulatory limit is 60 micrograms per 100 grams of shellfish meat.

He said he has written the local governments of Bolinao and Anda as well as the provincial government about this development.

Because of the lifting of the shellfish ban, gathering, harvesting, selling and eating of shellfish gathered in Bolinao and Anda are now allowed. The shellfish ban was enforced last March 13.

Though red tide is a natural occurrence, Domenden said people can help prevent it “by observing proper waste disposal.”

Bolinao and Anda produce daily about 150 sacks of shellfish products distributed in northern Luzon, he said.