TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite, Philippines — The coastal waters of Cavite are free from red tide toxin and that “tahong” (mussels) and other shellfish harvested and fish caught in the area are fresh and clean, the Office of Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) assured Wednesday.

Aquaculturist Zeny Feranil said the water samples taken from the bay off Cavite at least twice a week proved that there was no toxin in the area.

In San Fernando City, Pampanga, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) here said the red tide alert is still up in various places in Bataan and Zambales.

BFAR has renewed its appeal to the public to refrain from gathering and eating shellfish from the Bataan coastal waters and Masinloc Bay in Zambales as red tide toxin which causes paralytic shellfish poisoning remains present in these areas.

In Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur, the BFAR issued an advisory that the red tide toxin affecting Barangay Wawa, Bani, Pangasinan had spread to two other coastal towns of western Pangasinan province, it was reported here.

In an advisory dated Feb. 9, BFAR said the shellfish samples taken from the coastal areas in Anda and Bolinao towns in Pangasinan had a level of toxins beyond the regulatory limit and were positive for paralytic shellfish poisoning. (Anthony Giron, Mark Anthony N. Manuel, Freddie G. Lazaro)