Protecting our Oceans from Harmful Effects of Algal Bloom: Case of the Philippines

Harmful algal bloom (HAB) is one of the marine environmental problems and resource management issues that confront the Philippines. It has been recognized as a catastrophic phenomenon that affects the public health and economy of the country since 1983. For toxic algal blooms, the shellfish becomes toxic. For example, the occurrence of HABs in Manila Bay brought significant economic loss of around 70 million USD per year and the dislocation of fisher folks. The primary goal in the monitoring of shellfish areas is to minimize, if not stop, the occurrence of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in the country during toxic blooms, through an effective management system. The IAEA, through its technical cooperation programme, introduced the receptor binding assay (RBA), a sensitive method that allows early notification of toxicity. RBA is a laboratory-based assay that will not need a live mouse colony for testing. The IAEA also helped in establishing an isotope-based method for determining the history of pollution and cyst occurrence in the area which would allow an effective management of HABs in the country. Through IAEA training activities, the assay method is introduced to other Asian, South American, African and Middle East countries. Prevention, control and management of HABs translates to less people getting sick due to shellfish poisoning and more people economically benefiting from shellfish resources. (author)