The Ministry for Primary Industries is investigating a potential fish dumping off the coast of Northland.
Large predatory snapper are a rare sight in the Hauraki Gulf these days due to heavy fishing pressure, but they are common inside marine reserves such as the Goat Island marine reserve at Leigh. Photo: Paul Caiger
Five commercial boats were seen near a trail of dead snapper close to the Hen and Chicken Islands on Friday.
The ministry's compliance director Dean Baigent said his staff were alerted by two fishermen who managed to get a photo of the site as well as retrieve some of the dead fish.
Mr Baigent said the fish will be examined to determine how they died.
The analysis will look at whether they died of natural causes or were the victims of illegal activity.
The crew of the five boats seen in the area will be interviewed this week.
