Guanacaste Airport (LIR), a member of the VINCI Airports network, has successfully returned 1,100 kilograms of seashells to the Pacific Ocean after they were confiscated from tourists attempting to take them out of Costa Rica. This action is part of a partnership with the «De vuelta a casa» (Back Home) campaign by the Costa Rican company FIFCO.
The initiative marks a shift in how this seized biological material is managed. Previously, the expert-recommended practice was to bury the shells to avoid altering the pH of the sand. However, this new procedure allows for their direct reintegration into the marine ecosystem at Playa Conchal, a location strategically chosen for this purpose.
The recovery process required precise logistics. Between October 2024 and June 2025, airport authorities seized over 1,648 kilograms of shells. Volunteers from the airport and other organizations classified each one using an innovative artificial intelligence application. Through a photograph, the software determined whether the shell originated from the Pacific or Caribbean coast, ensuring that only Pacific material was returned to its native waters. Corals were excluded from this initial phase of the project…
