White Tide - Toxic Algal Bloom - Pounds Philippine Mussel Production - 90% Drop In Samar

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The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) office in the Samar region announced last week that it would be launching a massive clean-up drive at a coastal town in Samar to combat harmful algal blooms that have been killing mussels in the area.

BFAR Regional Director Juan Albaladejo said the area in Jiabong, Samar, has been suffering from "white tide" or harmful algal blooms (HAB) since November last year, a phenomenon caused by excess phosphates and nitrates on the seabed. He said this has caused massive deaths of mussels and a 90% decrease in mussel production in the area, amounting to almost P38 million in losses to the industry. The decline affected at least 137 registered farmers in Jiabong, the top mussel-production municipality.

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The area also reported another "mussel kill" in November last year at a two-hectare techno demo farm established by the government. The facility had introduced BFAR's raft-hanging method, which involves the use of bamboo poles, tied together into a raft and submerged underwater, to attract mussel cultures which attach themselves to the raft, initially in a bid to reduce marine pollution.

A study, however, said that the method leads to increased siltation, prevents adequate water circulation within the mussel culture area, and results in the accumulation of nitrogenous wastes in the water and sea bed. This made the mussel cultures prone to microbial infections, which can result in the death of mussels.

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http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/02/28/09/white-tide-killing-tahong-samar-town