The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) recommends keeping the fishing ban in municipalities affected by the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro as analyses remain inconclusive as to food safety, particularly on produce caught in the area.
The agency said fish samples collected and analyzed from select sites in Oriental Mindoro show significant increases in oil and grease although still within the standard of less than 3 milligrams per liter used by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Low level polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were likewise detected in all fish samples from Oriental Mindoro collected on April 3 and in samples collected from the municipalities of Bongabong and San Teodoro.
The agency has no data indicating higher levels of PAH but said further tests will be taken to confirm if an accumulation is taking place in marine organisms collected from the province.
PAH are harmful to humans and may accumulate in the flesh of marine organisms over time. Marine products like seaweeds and other sessile organisms have greater chances of accumulating PAH due to their immobility.
For Caluya residents, the BFAR recommends allowing fishing activities outside the reef zone int the affected areas of Sitio Sabang, Barangay Tinogboc, Sitio Sigayan, Sitio Toong, Barangay Semirara, Sitio Liwagao, Barangay Sibolo and adjacent waters.
Authorities recommend prohibiting shellfish gathering and seaweed harvesting since these have greater exposure to oil spill contaminants.
All water samples collected from Caluya, Antique on March 28 also passed the DENR standard for oil and grease and fish samples collected from the province on April 11 showed no signs of oil tainting via organoleptic analyses.
However, signs of oil tainting were observed on shellfish and seaweed.
Thus fat, the BFAR has allocated P4.4 million-worth of livelihood assistance in the form of post-harvest technology packages benefiting ten fisherfolk associations and cooperatives or 689 families.
Some P1.5 million was also set aside as food assistance to 5,000 affected fisherfolk in MIMAROPA while P580,500 was spent to help displaced fishing groups in Western Visayas.
In addition, the BFAR has deployed monitoring, control and surveillance vessels as well as personal protective equipment sets and other materials for clean-up activities.
