This news from Simon Aiken on the return from his trip to the Philippines: PLEASE SPREAD THIS AROUND: (liberally) At Manila international airport, I had a very unpleasant brush with the agriculture/fisheries people, who insisted that I was in violation of CITES regulations. (Tridacna sp., Hippopus sp., Turbo marmoreus, Cassis cornuta and Charonia tritonis are the regulated species from the Philippines. Naturally I avoid these shells, which are all big common shells in any case.) I spent 30 minutes arguing with half a dozen inspectors, who wanted me to get the 'paperwork' for my non-CITES-listed shells at another office, which would obviously have meant missing my flight. Alternatively, I could have left the shells with them and had them sent as cargo, which would have meant almost certain damage. I'm not sure exactly how I windled my way out of it, but Royal Brunei actually held the plane for me and I ran down the aisle with everyone glaring at me - but I had my shells. The inspectors basically wrote out some 'fake' paperwork for me on the spot. I was in the bizarre situation of being 'coached' by an inspector about what to say to the others, in order to avoid to looking like bribery was involved! (Yes, such things have been known in these countries....) It may be that regulations are being applied on a random basis, and I was just unlucky. (Indeed, I got them to acknowledge the irony that Cassis cornuta and Tridacnas were on sale at the souvenir shop in their own airport!) From what I was told, it looks like some sort of paperwork is required from the Ag/Fish office in Quezon City, in advance of taking non-regulated shells out of the Philippines - at least in theory. I would urge anyone collecting in the Philippines to do this and avoid unpleasant situations.