CAPIZ – The coastal waters of Roxas City and the towns of Pilar and Panay in this province remain positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP), according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
Shellfish samples collected from there still have PSP, or red tide toxin, BFAR stated in Shellfish Advisory No. 14 released yesterday.
The PSP toxin level in shellfish samples collected from Roxas City was 87.11 µgSTXeq/100g of shellfish meat, while 275.56 µgSTXeq/100g of shellfish meat in Pilar and 194.78-206.86 µgSTXeq/100g of shellfish meat in Panay.
To avoid PSP, BFAR officer-in-charge Atty. Demosthenes R. Escoto advised the public to refrain from eating, gathering or harvesting, transporting, and marketing shellfish from the coastal waters of the said areas until such time that the shellfish toxicity levels have gone below the regulatory limit of 60 µgSTXeq/I00g of shellfish meat.
BFAR also informed the public that fish harvested from the said areas are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly and their internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking./PN
