MADRIDEJOS, NORTHERN CEBU – Officials in the island town of Madridejos issued a warning on Tuesday regarding the presence of red tide contamination in the municipal waters.
According to a new release by the Philippines News Agency, In a statement posted on the municipality's official social media page, Villaceran cautioned fishermen against collecting a variety of shellfish including oysters, scallops, cockles, mussels, clams, and krill. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) corroborated the mayor's warning in its advisory dated October 21, which confirmed the red tide presence in the waters of Madridejos.
The mayor emphasized that the warning against harvesting and consuming shellfish remains in effect as long as the BFAR’s ban is active. He also noted that the Municipal Agriculture Office personnel are conducting regular inspections in the market and along the coastline. "We will confiscate banned shellfish and 'alamang' if our Municipal Agriculture's Office find them during their inspections," Villaceran stated.
The public health risk tied to the red tide contamination is significant; shellfish infected with red tide can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). Symptoms of PSP include paralysis, headaches, vomiting, difficulty swallowing and speaking, weakness, and it can be fatal in severe cases.