They're toxic, they shouldn't be handled and it seems they're becoming more prevalent on our coastlines.

They're porcupine fish or allomycterus jaculiferusand they belong to a group called puffer fishes that are known to be poisonous. The one pictured in this story washed up on the beach at Papamoa.

Beware the poisonous porcupine fish. Photo: Rochelle Stewart.

'To be safe they shouldn't be touched as the spines may act as a conduit for toxins,” says Chris Battershill, Professor of Coastal Science at the University of Waikato Coastal Field Station Tauranga.

'Dogs licking the fish on Auckland beaches a few years ago became very ill. It's believed some died.”

It is the spines that identify the porcupine fish, while a puffer fish has a smooth blotchy skin. The toxin in both fish is tetrodotoxin, it's extremely toxic and is concentrated in the liver and eggs.

In Japan specialist chefs prepare puffer fish for eating by removing the poisonous parts but there are still occasional poisonings.

'If dead porcupine fish are discovered use gloves or some protection to pop it in a rubbish bin at the beach” says Chris. 'They present a danger to anyone stepping on it.”

Stormy conditions and heavy swells bring the fish ashore. And it seems the species is more common and moving further south along both coastlines.

'A few years back you would be lucky to see one at the Poor Knights. But on a recent dive at Tutukaka, inside the harbour, I saw two.”