The Ministry for Primary Industries says a commercial fishing vessel lost an estimated 750kg of fish off the west coast of Coromandel Peninsula earlier today.

District Compliance manager Jacob Hore says the skipper contacted the MPI at about 8.45am reporting the fish, mostly snapper, was lost from a trawl net while being brought on board.

The Ministry for Primary Industries says a commercial fishing vessel lost an estimated 750kg of fish, re[ported to be mostly snapper, off the Coromandel Peninsula today. Photo: File

Jacob says a MPI vessel already patrolling in another part of the Hauraki Gulf was then redirected to the commercial vessel, arriving at the scene west of Colville at about 10.30am.

'MPI was again able to make use of the new inshore vessel monitoring system…to confirm the location of the vessel and target our resources efficiently.”

The patrol vessel was able to document extent of the loss of fish as well as interview the skipper and crew at the time.

Jacob has commended the skipper for reporting the incident to the MPI, allowing them to respond quickly.

'We follow up all reports of accidental loss of fish by commercial fishers and we will be investigating this incident.”

The MPI has since launched an investigating into the actions of the vessel's skipper.