Villareal Bay in this province has been found to be contaminated with red tide, according to the regional Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Laboratory examination by the Regional Fisheries Laboratory in Catbalogan, Samar, of water samples from Villareal confirmed the presence of Pyrodinium bahamense variety compressum, a microorganism that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning.

Marticio, M. T. G. (2018, August 8). Red tide alert for Samar bay. Manila Bulletin, p. 6.