The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources advised against eating shellfish from the coastal waters of Bolinao and Anda in Pangasinan after samples tested positive for red tide toxins.

In an advisory dated April 7, BFAR said the paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxin level in shellfish sample collected from the said area was 78-90 µgSTXeq/100g of shellfish meat.

To avoid poisoning, the agency advised the public to refrain from eating, gathering or harvesting, transporting and marketing shellfish from the said areas "until such time that the shellfish toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory limit of 60 µgSTXeq/100g of shellfish meat."

Fish harvested from the said area, however, "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."

The BFAR also said shellfishes collected at Coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol and from waters of Milagros in Masbate were still positive for paralytic shellfish poisoning.