The Galicia coastline in northwest Spain is famous for its high-quality seafood, among which the gooseneck barnacle is considered to be highly nutritious, rich in trace elements, and has a sweet and delicious taste. In return, their price is incredibly high, reaching up to 200-300 euros per kilogram (approximately over 5 million to nearly 8 million VND per kilogram).
In Spain, the seafood fishing industry provides significant income for coastal residents, with various economically valuable marine species such as red shrimp from Catalonia, spider crabs from Asturias, and Atlantic bluefin tuna from Cantabria… yet none compare to the gooseneck barnacle. This delicacy is regarded as a luxury item due to its price being hundreds of times higher than regular seafood.
In restaurants, a plate of gooseneck barnacles costs about 100 euros (equivalent to nearly 3 million VND). In China, the price for a small gooseneck barnacle can reach 900 yuan (approximately 3 million VND). Despite this, there are still buyers eager to purchase them but unable to find this type of barnacle. Additionally, the inedible part accounts for nearly half of its weight, making gooseneck barnacles one of the most expensive seafood items in the world.
A Life on the Line
The gooseneck barnacle, known as Gooseneck barnacles or Lucifer’s Finger, derives its name from the unique shape of this unusual seafood. The head of the barnacle resembles that of a goose, with a long neck, round head, and pointed beak. Moreover, some longer barnacles appear strikingly similar to human fingers and nails. This is why the barnacle has such intriguing names. Gooseneck barnacles cannot be farmed; they live and grow in the open sea.
The interior of this species resembles a goose’s neck.
This type of barnacle only thrives in very clean waters. The water quality requirements for gooseneck barnacles are quite high. If the seawater is severely polluted, they cannot survive and will quickly perish. Therefore, they can be seen as an indicator of marine pollution levels. Their food source consists of wrack algae that grow on rocky islands along the ocean shore, and due to their dependency on tides, they are only found on the precarious beaches of Galicia, exposed during low tide, often where strong waves crash.
This species needs to be harvested directly to ensure freshness and flavor, captivating diners at the table. Therefore, “gooseneck hunters” can only start their work upon receiving orders.
Those who specialize in hunting and harvesting gooseneck barnacles are known as “percebeiros” in Spanish. To become a skilled percebeiro, finding many gooseneck barnacles, each sea trip must accept challenges and face dangers in the notoriously treacherous waters of Galicia, with unpredictable and harsh weather. Without a specific plan and safety measures, they may not only fail to catch them but also endanger their lives.
A sad statistic reveals that nearly everyone living off seafood, especially gooseneck barnacles, has witnessed friends or family members lose their lives to the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Sharing the dangers of harvesting gooseneck barnacles, a seasoned percebeiro, Fernando Damas, stated: “Many divers have gone missing, or there are numerous injuries while working. When a diver focuses on finding barnacles on the rocks, they are often turned away from the perilous ocean. At that moment, if a strong wave hits, the risk of fatality is very high.”
The profession of hunting gooseneck barnacles provides high income, but it is perilous, sometimes costing lives.
Additionally, there is a family in the town of Baiona, on the southern coast of Galicia, where all the sisters have been engaged in hunting gooseneck barnacles for many years. The González family is famous not only in their local community but throughout Galicia. The profession of hunting gooseneck barnacles seems to be in the blood of the four sisters Susana, Isabel, Lala, and Belén González since birth. Their parents also practiced this trade, and even their grandmother and great-grandmother were percebeiras.
With such a rich family tradition, the four González sisters have stable jobs: Lala once owned a grocery store and later was a pastry chef; Isabel spent many years in the kitchen of a tapas bar in Baiona; Susana worked in management at a pharmaceutical company; Belén was employed at a retail store in Baiona. Yet all four left their jobs to pursue this calling, or rather, this legacy that their grandmother and great-grandmother followed throughout their lives.
It seems that the call of the sea goddess awakened the calling that has been in the sisters’ blood. Mr. Belén González, not only a skilled percebeiro but also known for saving many colleagues, has witnessed many percebeiros lose their lives amid the stormy ocean. Isabel shared her father’s experiences in hunting gooseneck barnacles, saying, “When harvesting, you must skillfully pry them off; if they tear while being detached from the rock, the barnacles will die and become inedible. There’s a rock offshore that is home to the best gooseneck barnacles in the area. No one can reach that place except my father… When his friends come back with 10 kg of barnacles, he brings home 20 kg.”
“Many people ask me if I ever thought about finding another profession. I respond: Are you joking? Do you think I want an office job? My office is here: the ocean and the shore. I’m outdoors, with the breeze on my face, my sisters beside me. What could be better than that?”, Isabel said.
Simply Boiled is Enough
Due to the difficulty and potential danger involved in harvesting them, along with the unstable supply depending on the weather and sea temperature in Galicia, the price of gooseneck barnacles is exorbitantly high. Of course, this seafood is also extremely clean and highly nutritious.
This creature secretes a very strong adhesive substance. This adhesive is even used by humans to make glue for bonding metals or repairing leaking boats. In medicine, the adhesive from barnacles is used for making bandages to stop bleeding and seal wounds.
Some longer barnacles resemble human fingers and nails. Therefore, in Portugal, they are referred to as “Lucifer’s Fingers.” Upon first sight, many may feel a bit scared by their unattractive appearance.
The most popular dish is still boiled barnacles to fully enjoy the ocean’s flavors.
In Spain, only high-end seafood restaurants serve gooseneck barnacles. There are many recipes to prepare this special barnacle, but due to their unique flavor, they do not require elaborate cooking. The most popular method remains boiling them to savor the full ocean delicacy.
Europeans are extremely fond of this food and consider it a high-end seafood due to its high nutritional value. Gooseneck barnacles contain many trace elements and have an irresistible sweet and savory flavor. Many diners who have tried them describe them as tastier than lobster or king crab.
However, the water used to boil the barnacles is not just ordinary water; using seawater to boil them enhances their taste. If seawater is unavailable, mixing a spoonful of sea salt into regular water can be an acceptable alternative. Additionally, some people add Greek bay leaves to the boiling water to enhance the flavor of the barnacle meat.
Eating gooseneck barnacles is quite simple because once they are boiled, the body becomes softer. At this point, you just need to use both hands to gently press the junction between the barnacle’s body and head to easily detach the shell. The edible part is the tender white meat inside, which offers nutritional value commensurate with the money diners spend.
