Original version

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Radio

World Service Radio

Migrated podcast image for: Outlook

Outlook

Factual: Life Stories

True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

Outlook: Spain’s fearless barnacle-hunting sisters

Magazines & Reviews

Isabel Gonzalez collecting barnacles

31/08/2019 GMT

Spain’s fearless barnacle-hunting sisters

BBC World Service - Outlook, Spain’s fearless barnacle-hunting sisters

Isabel and Susana González risk their lives to collect barnacles along Spain’s coastline

Isabel and Susana González risk their lives to collect barnacles along Spain’s coastline. But they also faced death threats when they stood up to the patriarchy of their industry.

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. When Susana ran for the president position, she faced death threats. But still, they managed to revolutionise their whole industry.

Reporter: Pablo Esparza Altuna
Producer: Saskia Edwards

Picture: Isabel González collecting barnacles
Credit: Pablo Esparza Altuna

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Outlook

Spain’s fearless barnacle-hunting sisters

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service

About BBC World Service