There is nothing new about fishing companies having tubs made for them with the company logo or name on them, but in spite of these clear markings, tubs still have a habit of disappearing.
Westmann Islands company Begur-Huginn, which operates two groundfish trawlers, has long had its own tubs and according to managing director Magnús Kristinsson, they frequently go astray and they are aware that often the name is ground off and these specially-made tubs for holding foodstuffs are often used for storing junk of all kinds.
Eventually they company had enough, and went to Sæplast to have their tubs made in a distinctive shade of green that no other company uses to make them easily recognisable, not that this made a great deal of difference as the tubs were still lost.
‘In fact, it’s unbelievable how people treat these tubs,’ Magnús Kristinsson said. ‘People who are otherwise completely law-abiding don’t seen concerned about taking fish tubs. They seem to think it’s acceptable to take tubs, often a number of them, and use them for their own business. It’s unbelievable, as tubs aren’t cheap, and it’s important for a company to have them available. The tubs are made for storing fish, so handling them properly makes a difference. They need to be cleaned regularly and what is kept in them makes a difference,’ he said.
Last Christmas Bergur-Huginn made an attempt to raise awareness of this, publishing an advertisement under the ‘respect ownership’ headline, showing a truck fully loaded with Bergur-Huginn’s distinctive green tubs and with the clear message that the ownership of the tubs can be traced.
