Press Release/3 July 2008
The Department of Health (DOH) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) today announced that fish and other marine products are generally safe to eat, except in areas where the ban has been imposed because of possible endosulfan contamination.

According to Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III, fish when properly stored, handled and cooked is safe to eat. He added that fish is a very important source of healthy protein and omega-3 oils, our best defense against heart diseases.

The BFAR is implementing a TEMPORARY BAN on the harvest, sale and consumption of fish and other marine products only in Romblon as a precautionary measure following the discovery of 10 metric tons of endosulfan that have remained submerged with the M/V Princess of the Stars (Sulpicio Lines). BFAR has quarantined the area to prevent transport of fish to other areas.

The BFAR announced that fish in Metro Manila, which are commercially hauled from Palawan, is safe to eat.

Repeated tests of water samples taken from and around the sunken ship remain non-detectable. There have been no reports of toxic fish kills. Fish die once exposed to toxic levels. However, BFAR will test fish samples to confirm endosulfan contamination. Affected fish accumulate the poison first in the liver then in the flesh.

The risk of endosulfan contamination depends on the sturdiness of the fiberboard drums containing the packed pesticide, the underwater pressure, and the amount of water and sediments that have mixed with the pesticide. Present data suggest that the unrecovered endosulfan poses a continued risk for marine contamination.

The health chief explained that Endosulfan is highly toxic and can cause deaths in humans several hours after ingesting a lethal dose of less than a teaspoon or at least 0.8 mg/kg of the pure compound (or just 40 mg for the average Filipino who weighs 50 kg.). It can manifest as abnormalities affecting the central nervous system and manifests as headaches, dizziness, tremors and convulsions. Treatment is only supportive.