CEBU CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has intensified its monitoring of harmful algal bloom that caused red tide in Central Visayas seawaters, a fishery official said on Friday.
Crismalyn Golle, manager of BFAR-7’s Regional Fisheries Laboratory, said they are collaborating with provincial fisheries offices and local government units to conduct monthly monitoring of algal blooms.
These blooms are caused by the rapid increase in algae populations in the region’s seawater.
Algal blooms often result from factors like nutrient pollution—where elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorus from sewage and agricultural runoff fuel algae growth—and warmer water temperatures, which accelerate algal reproduction.
Key monitoring sites in the region include Bogo Bay in northern Cebu, north and south Bais Bay, Tambobo Bay, and Siit Bay in Negros Oriental province, as well as the waters around Dauis town and Tagbilaran City in Bohol province.
Siquijor province, however, remains unaffected and not part of the red tide monitoring program.
The last red tide warning issued by BFAR-7 was for the waters of Tagbilaran and Dauis on Oct. 24, which was lifted on Dec. 19.
Monitoring efforts continue to ensure early detection and response to potential outbreaks. (PNA)