Rainer Cargando, the market administrator of Teodoro Arcenas Trade Center, told Bedico and the other vendors not to sell any shellfish after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) issued a red tide warning on Aug. 29. The stall holders have been hurting since the BFAR prohibited also the gathering and selling of shellfish due to the presence of red tide toxins in the seas off Roxas City and neighboring Panay town in Capiz, dubbed the Seafood Capital of the country. Red tide is a phenomenon where algae multiply rapidly and produce toxins harmful to wildlife and humans. The algae multiply faster when there are sudden changes in sea conditions, like temperature, salinity and the accumulation of organic load.

Mijares, R. J., & Udtohan, L. (2015, September 19). Shellfish ban hurting Capiz, Bohol food tourism. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A11.