5 Capiz towns, Roxas City now red tide-free

By Felipe V Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – The coastal waters of five Capiz towns including this capital city are now negative for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) or toxic red tide.

This was confirmed by Edwin Javier, provincial officer of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Capiz.

Except for Pontevedra, Javier said seashell from the waters of Sapian, Ivisan, Panay, President Roxas, Pilar and Roxas City could now be harvested, transported, sold and consumed.

Based on Shellfish Bulletin No. 30 series of 2023 dated December 21, toxicity level in Pontevedra town is still high after a series of meat sampling.

For the past four months, Capiz fishermen have been affected because of red tide that hit the coastal waters.

The provincial government has issued executive order banning the gathering, transport, selling and eating of shellfish.

Because of the red tide scare, the local government units have extended assistance to the affected shellfish gatherers.