# 'Fish' signs on trucks/trailers

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-signs-on-trucks-trailers/230734>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 23, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-signs-on-trucks-trailers/230734 "2004-02-23T20:31:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-signs-on-trucks-trailers/230734/1 "2004-02-23T20:31:16Z")

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I’ve noticed that on some delivery trucks, there is a sign on the truck or trailer that reads ‘FISH’. Why is that? It’s not like a truck full of potatoes has a ‘potatoes’ placard on the outside.

Hazardous materials such as explosives or corrosive items I can understand, but fish?

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**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-signs-on-trucks-trailers/230734/2 "2004-02-23T20:55:14Z")

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Fish meal or fish scrap is considered a hazardous material. That’s probably what it is.

Haj

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-signs-on-trucks-trailers/230734/3 "2004-02-23T21:28:12Z")

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Because it is the law in at least one state:

[Ohio Revised Code (pdf, pg. 2)](http://southcenters.osu.edu/aqua/qanda/form%20184.pdf)

> [@](#):
>
> The word “fish ” in the English language, at least eight inches high and maintained legible at all times, shall appear on both sides of the vehicle body of all vehicles transporting fresh water fish in this state when such fish are for sale or sold, except those fish exempt from a transportation permit in divisions (A),(B),and (E) of this section.

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**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-signs-on-trucks-trailers/230734/4 "2004-02-23T21:57:25Z")

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[Previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=4192)

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**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-signs-on-trucks-trailers/230734/5 "2004-02-23T22:34:43Z")

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thanks