The fieldwork for “Seals, Stigma and Survival” has occurred in stages, and one of those stages is interviews with people based in Brussels, Belgium working at, or in dialogue with, the European Union.
Views from those working directly in and/or with the EU are vital for a project like “Seals, Stigma and Survival”. While elevating the voices of sealers and their experiences is a central focus, the barriers they face in terms of stigma and legislation informed by it, mean that there is a need to hear from those who are working at the diplomatic level.
The time in Brussels was an opportunity, therefore, to meet and discuss aspects of the subject matter from views on the EU 2024 fitness test of the trade in seal products regulations, the status of seals in the EU and across the Arctic and sub-Arctic and more. It was also an opportunity to build connections, including bringing in more people into the project network to observe its progress, gain access to its growing data resources and connect people working on the subject across countries.
Seals, Stigma and Survival 