RED TIDE CALAMITY Displaced Carles fisherfolk need help

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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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ILOILO City – The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Carles is declaring four red tide-hit coastal barangays under a state of calamity.

Around 2,500 households in the villages depend on the sea for their food and livelihood. They have been displaced, said Mayor Sigfriedo Betita.

SB members are convening in a special session today to make the declaration.

The coastal waters of Carles’ Gigantes group of islands remained positive for red tide toxins, according to Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) Shellfish Bulletin No. 31 issued on Sept. 15.

According to SB member Humberto Corvera, their special session today starts at 2 p.m.

The Gigantes group of islands makes up four barangays – Asluman, Gabi, Lantangan, and Granada.

A declaration of a state of calamity would allow the barangays to use their five percent calamity fund to help displaced villagers.

On Sept. 27, officials of Carles led by Betita had a meeting with Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. at the capitol together with BFAR-6 director Remia Aparri. They discussed immediate and long-term interventions to assist red tide-affected fisherfolk that depend on the bounties of Carles’ waters for their livelihood.

In Asluman and Gabi alone, according to Betita, the livelihood of “85 percent” of residents is gathering scallops. They have been displaced.

Scallops are saltwater clams popular in restaurants.

Carles’ scallops are being exported. A kilo costs P110.

Betita estimated his municipality’s loses due to red tide reaching “millions” of pesos.

Ang buyers ‘di man magbakal kun may red tide,” he explained.

The town’s daily scallop production is 10 tons to 20 tons daily, according to the mayor.

A team from BFAR has started organizing villagers for a cash-for-work program.

In partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Tourism, BFAR is also planning to establish a one-stop shop for all fishery and other products of the Gigantes islands.

The bureau will also be providing fishing boats and gears to 770 compressor fishers or divers.

“We have a P2-million budget for the procurement of fishing gears like squid pots and fishnets,” said Director Aparri.

Also included in BFAR-6’s long-term plan is the establishment of a scallops processing plant in the Gigantes.

Meanwhile, Defensor said the provincial government will be entering into a memorandum of agreement with the municipality of Carles, BFAR, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority “para mabuligan ta ang atun kasimanwa sa Gigantes.” He, however, did not give specifics.

The Provincial Agriculture Office and Provincial Social Welfare and Development, on the other hand, will be releasing relief goods and livelihood aid to 360 identified households affected by red tide.

These households have no other source of income aside from collecting and processing scallops.

BFAR detected red tide toxin in Carles’ waters middle of last month yet. All types of shellfish and shrimps from the area were not safe for human consumption, according to Undersecretary for Fisheries Eduardo Gongona in BFAR Shellfish Bulletin No. 27.

While fishes, squids and crabs are safe for human consumption, BFAR stressed they must be fresh and washed thoroughly, and their internal organs such as gills and intestines removed before cooking.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning can be fatal. Symptoms can appear 10 to 30 minutes after ingestion, and include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, tingling or burning lips, gums, tongue, face, neck, arms, legs, and toes.

Shortness of breath, dry mouth, a choking feeling, confused or slurred speech, and loss of coordination are also possible.

BFAR said red tide results from the excessive blooming of harmful algae that produce toxins harmful to people and other marine animals.

One of the factors to the occurrence of the blooms is higher than usual temperature of surface water brought about by global warming. (With a report from Jezza Nepomoceno/PN)
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