Mermaid tails have been banned from Auckland Council leisure centres and pools because of safety concerns.
An announcement on the Stanmore Bay Pool and Leisure Centre Facebook page tells visitors: "We wish to advise our customers that ALL mermaid tails and fins are no longer permitted in any Auckland Council leisure facility.
"The ban is in response to the dangers associated with the products: they hinder the ability for children to move their legs while swimming and they promoted prolonged under-water swimming which can lead to shallow water black-outs."
The mermaid fins have become popular around the world with both adults and children.
The tails - available in different colours and designs - give the illusion of a mermaid swimming in the water, with a swimmer's legs bound inside.