ILOILO CITY — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the local government unit of Carles vowed to continue monitoring the coastal waters of Gigantes Island after it was declared free from red tide on Thursday.
BFAR in its shellfish bulletin no. 37 released declared that the coastal waters of Gigantes Island “are now negative from the red tide toxin.”
“Negative results for paralytic shellfish poison were obtained from three consecutive weeks of sampling in the area,” according to the bulletin, which was signed by Undersecretary for Fisheries and BFAR director Eduardo B. Gongona.
Gongona said that shellfish samples collected from the coastal waters of the island “are now safe for human consumption.”
Gathering and /or harvesting and marketing of shellfish from the above-mentioned area also permitted, he added.
BFAR on its August 30 shellfish bulletin found the area’s coastal waters positive of red tide affecting Barangays Lantangan, Granada, Asluman and Gabi, the last two villages being considered as the “Scallops Capital of Carles.”
Some 85 percent of the 2,500 households affected sourced their income from gathering scallops.
Last September 29, the municipality of Carles through its Sangguniang Bayan declared these four barangays under state of calamity allowing them to utilize their respective calamity funds.
BFAR Western Visayas director Remia Aparri in a text message said that they are yet to procure the assistance they will be providing to the affected sector. (Perla Lena/PNA)
