OPVET & OPA Hold Presscon on ASF and Red Tide

By: Nicolas Evan Fuentes

On November 17, 2022 at the SP Building East and West Conference Room, the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPVET) and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) under Aklan Governor Jose Enrique M. Miraflores conducted a press conference on the current status of African Swine Fever (ASF) and Red Tide threats in the Province of Aklan.

-AKLAN STILL ASF-FREE-

According the Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Ma. Cyrosa Mabel Leen C. Siñel, the Province remains free from ASF despite reports of ASF outbreaks in the nearby Province of Iloilo. Siñel ensures the public that the Provincial Government of Aklan, in partnership with the different component LGUs and other members of the Provincial ASF Task Force, is doing everything in securing the province from the entry of the deadly swine disease. As of the moment, the Provincial ASF Task Force is manning four border checkpoints in order to prevent the entry of ASF-contaminated pork products in the province.

In addition to these efforts, Siñel also asked the members of the Aklan media present to support the information dissemination campaign of the provincial government against the African Swine Fever.

-SHELLFISH IN AKLAN STILL SAFE FOR CONSUMPTION-

Senior Aquaculturist Christian V. Deza of the OPA explained that Red Tide (RT) is a term used to describe a coastal phenomenon in which the water is discolored by high algal biomass or concentration of algae. He also mentioned that Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) can cause mass mortality of fish or produce potent toxins that are of public and health significance (e.g. paralytic shellfish poisoning).

Red Tide affects filter feeding organisms like shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels etc.) as well as Acetes sp. (alamang). Fish, crabs and shrimps are safe for consumption as long as the gills, viscera and internal organs are removed as the toxins are not absorbed in the edible tissue of the animals.

According to Deza, shellfish harvested from the waters of the Province of Aklan is still safe for human consumption. He further explained that while Red Tide have been reported in the nearby Sapian Bay in the Province of Capiz, the levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins in the Province of Aklan’s waters are still within the standard limit which is 60 micrograms PSP toxin/100 grams of shellfish meat.

Deza also reminded the media practitioners present to always check the Shellfish Bulletin regularly published by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for the status of red tide in the coastal waters of Aklan.

The media situationer was attended by representatives of different media outlets under the Aklan Media Integrated Alliance (AMIA), Aklan Press Club, Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) members and non-KBP radio stations, and information units of different offices of the Provincial Government of Aklan.

Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s Information Unit under Vice Governor Atty. Reynaldo M. Quimpo with SP Aklan’s Legislative Media Consultant Odon S. Bandiola, Nicolas Evan G. Fuentes, Mariz Gleah Faith Z. Zaspa and Belen A. Adarlo actively participated.