A clean-up of an oil spill in Tauranga Harbour has started in earnest after bad weather had hampered efforts to get rid of the oil.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council said the heavy fuel came from a berthed vessel at about lunchtime yesterday.
The council did not know how much oil had gone into the water, but said it had washed ashore along the harbour's Maungatapu Peninsula which is populated by a wide variety of birdlife.
Boats have been out on the harbour this morning, setting out booms to contain the oil spill.