To safeguard biodiversity and preserve natural resources, AERIS, as the stakeholder manager of the Juan Santamaría International Airport (AIJS), calls upon tourists to prevent the extraction of seashells from the country because these practices put marine ecosystems at risk.

For this reason, under the slogan “Welcome to Costa Rica, protect our nature”, AERIS and other strategic allies like the MarViva Foundation are leading a campaign to raise awareness among tourists during the busy season until April.

“We are proud to be the main entrance into Costa Rica and want to make sure that each traveler positively impacts the environment. AERIS put together our efforts for this awareness campaign, which aims to motivate all tourists to contribute to preserving our beaches. The preservation of biodiversity is key to sustainable tourism and the well-being of local communities and ecological balance”, affirmed Ricardo Hernández, general director of AERIS.

The campaign, promoted by AERIS, has the support of various companies that will carry the message to important tourist sites. The participating organizations are the National Chamber of Tourism, the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels, the Chamber of Rural and Community Tourism, the Costa Rican Association of Tourist Guides (Acoguitur), and the Association of Naturalist Guides of Drake Bay (Aguinadra). Also, the influential Lily Cabezas will participate, focusing on creating content on environmental topics.

The initiative consists of publishing audiovisual material, such as videos and posts, on social networks on the digital platforms of AERIS, the SJO, and the allied organizations. Additionally, at AIJS, the videos will be shown on the screens located in the Arrivals area for greater visibility on the travelers’ first impression. 

During 2023, a total of three tons (3088 kilograms) of seashells were confiscated from passengers who transited the country’s main air terminal. March and December, both months corresponding to the busy season, recorded the highest number of confiscations, with 414 kilograms and 528 kilograms, respectively. At the same time, June was the month with fewer seashell confiscations registered, with 124 kilograms.

“At AERIS, we are committed to constantly developing initiatives that preserve seashells in their natural habitats. Hence, we encourage tourists visiting beaches to leave these organisms where they belong, allowing them to continue practicing their important function in the marine ecosystem. We invite them to have fun responsibly and sustainably”, commented Adriana Bejarano, chief of Environment, Health, and Security of AERIS.

In Costa Rica, the extraction of these and other natural resources is considered illegal wildlife trafficking. Therefore, the alliance hopes to make tourists aware of the damage these practices cause to the environment.

Once these marine materials are extracted, it becomes highly difficult to return them to their ecosystem. In view of this, under a strict protocol established by the Regulation to the Wildlife Conservation Law, with the approval of the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), the environmental team of AERIS oversees the gathering of the seashells to later bury them because of their high calcium levels. These measures are completely controlled and environmentally responsible.

According to biology specialists, the marine elements most commonly confiscated from tourists come from the Pacific coast. These include bivalve shells (clams, mussels, oysters, among others) and gastropod shells (snails), as well as coral skeletons. Species originating from the Caribbean parts of Costa Rica, as well as some originating from other countries, are also confiscated.

“Whether due to ignorance or indifference, the statistics demonstrate that thousands of seashells and other marine elements are taken from their ecosystems each day, which represents a high environmental and economic impact. Being part of this campaign allows us to sensitize Costa Rican and foreign tourists to be more careful and protective of our natural heritage”, said Katherine Arroyo, executive director of MarViva.

Importance of these resources

Seashells are a fundamental element of ecosystems since they provide them with Calcium carbonate and act as shelter for some species. Some of their functions and uses include:

• Birds may use Skeletons to build their nests.
• Some fish use them as hiding places or as part of their diet.
• Hermit crabs use seashells as shelter and home.
• They stop marine algae when said organism is in excess.
• They control the erosion of beaches.
• They form “white beaches”.
• When the shells are destroyed over time, they become nutrients for other organisms or are incorporated into sand.
• They provide Calcium carbonate that serves to maintain ecosystems stable and as food for some animal and plant species.
• Shells are a substrate for marine organisms such as sponges, algae, and aquatic plants. In addition, when there are many shells on the seabed, biological diversity increases because they favor the formation of microniches and species.