Beachgoers warned against red tide areas

By Liezle Basa Iñigo

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan — Summertime visitors to the beaches of Pangasinan were warned last week by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) against collecting and eating shellfish in some areas with red tide.

The BFAR said shellfish samples collected in the coastal areas of Bolinao and Anda have been found positive of the red tide toxin.

Based on the latest laboratory tests, the toxin level in shellfish samples collected in Bolinao and Anda are between 78-90ngSTX which the BFAR said is very high.

Once eaten, shellfish meat from these red tide-affected areas may lead to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) that may cause a person’s sudden death.

The BFAR clarified that except for Bolinao and Anda, other coastal areas of the province only have a low toxicity level and that shellfish like crabs and mussels as well as shrimps and prawns are fit for human consumption especially if they are cooked.