BALANGA City, Bataan: The provincial agriculture office on Friday announced that the ban on the gathering, transporting and eating of shellfish imposed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on November 22, 2011 still continues in Bataan.

“Patuloy pa rin ang kampanya laban sa pagkain ng shellfish dahil mataas pa rin ang toxin level ng sulib o sunset shell sa bayan ng Samal na umabot ng 5,119 unit grams per 100 grams shellfish meat (The ban on eating shellfish stays since the toxin level of sunset shell in Samal town is at 5,119 unit grams per 100 grams shellfish meat),” BFAR said.

Tolerable limit is only 60ug per 100g shellfish meat.

BFAR explained that although the toxin level in green mussels or tahong has gone down in Balanga City and the towns of Pilar, Orion, Limay and Mariveles, the high poisonous level in Samal affects the mentioned area and the towns of Hermosa and Orani.

BFAR said to help more than 600 families involved in the raising and selling of shellfish, BFAR has recently handed out 150 fishing nets. The Department of Social Welfare and Development extended cash for work while the provincial government under Gov. Enrique Garcia has provided relief goods.

Resy Banal, a shellfish vendor, said although they were thankful for the fishing nets, they still need daily subsistence for their families. “Kailangan namin hanapbuhay para sa araw-araw na pagkain na nawala buhat pa noong Nobyembre 2011 (We need livelihood for daily sustenance that has gone since November 2011),” she said.

Fish, squid, shrimps and crabs were not affected by the red tide provided these are fresh and properly cleaned.