THE CITY Veterinarian’s Office warned the public against buying tahong or green mussels from the Municipality of Villareal, Samar Province due to a red tide alert.
The city vet reportedly conducted laboratory tests on samples of green mussels, which indicated the presence of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP)- a life-threatening condition.
The city vet confirmed these mussels are not safe for human consumption.
“The City Veterinarian’s Office continues to monitor this situation in coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR),” it said.
According to the red tide monitoring of the city vet, the samples were collected on Sept. 1.
But in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas Usapang Agrikultura on Sept. 2, Dr. Elaine Vera M. Belviz, BFAR 11 Fishing Regulations Office chief, clarified mussels infected with red tide have not yet entered the Davao Gulf.
She based her announcement on the regional Shellfish Bulletin as of Aug. 30.
The official added they are constantly monitoring the mariculture areas in the region.
“We are monitoring the mariculture areas every month talaga siya, every time the incidence of red tide increases, we collect samples and analyze them in the laboratory to determine the samples if naa ba tay makita nga toxin nga ilang gina– produce,” Belviz said.
File Photo: Bing Gonzales
