The Outlook Podcast Archive - Spain's fearless barnacle-hunting sisters

Download Spain's fearless barnacle-hunting sisters

Isabel and Susana González hunt percebes, also known as gooseneck barnacles. They're rather ugly crustaceans that can fetch thousands of dollars per kilogram at auction. To collect them, the González sisters must traverse slippery rocks along the Spanish coastline where they risk falling and drowning. Many hunters have lost their lives doing this job.

But this isn't the only danger the sisters have faced in their line of work. When they began there was a lot of discrimination against women, including the fact that they could only catch three kilograms per day, while men had a quota of five. This system was regulated by an association. The sisters figured the only way to achieve equality was to become part of the management of the association. But when Susana ran for the presidency, she faced death threats. Still, they managed to revolutionise their whole industry. This episode was first broadcast on 1st of September 2019.

Reporter: Pablo Esparza Altuna
Producer: Saskia Edwards

Picture: Isabel González collecting barnacles
Credit: Pablo Esparza Altuna

Published on Sunday, 28th March 2021.

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