Don't be alarmed if you see Waikato Regional Council and emergency staff rushing around Tararu Beach Reserve North on Thursday morning.

It is part of the Marine Oil Spill Response Team's annual field deployment training exercise involving up to 25 responders, one vessel, plus council and emergency staff, and will start at 10am.

The Waikato Regional Council's regional marine oil spill response team carries out its training exercise at Tararu Beach Reserve North this Thursday, from 10am. Photo: File

The scenario involves an imaginary fishing vessel running aground in bad weather off the Coromandel coast, between Tainui Cove and Tararu, losing 2,000 litres of diesel into the ocean while another 2,000 litres remains on board.

The imaginary vessel will be stabilised but north-east winds have the potential to push the spilt diesel towards shore, so the training exercise will have to manage the threat that more could leak.

Responders will deploy booms to contain the spread of contaminants, use equipment for scooping diesel and other substances out of the water, plus carry out an environmental impact assessment.

Based at Tararu Beach Reserve North, there will be a designated area for the public to observe the exercise, but for safety reasons, the actual exercise emergency response work area will be taped off.

Members of the public will not be able to enter this area unless accompanied by an authorised person and wearing steel cap boots and a high visibility vest.

The Waikato Regional Council's Coromandel spill exercise will take place at Tararu Beach Reserve North on Thursday, December 3, from 10am.