Boaties are being reminded not to fish on reefs surrounding Mōtītī Island after out-of-towners were caught fishing in the protected area.
This is the first summer the three protected reefs that make up the Mōtītī Protection Area
have been closed to all fishing since the Environment Court ruling last April.
But with long weekends providing ample time to get out on the water, Bay of Plenty Regional Council is asking fishers to please steer clear.
In a statement, the council's general manager of regulatory services Sarah Omundsen said since the new rules came in last August, the only people staff had encountered fishing illegally had been from out of town.
"On the days we have been out, we've only found a small number of people fishing where they shouldn't be," she said.