Warning signs in Pilot Bay have been removed this morning after water samples taken yesterday revealed no signs of sewage contamination.

Temporary health advisory signs were put in place yesterday following a spillage from the stern trawler Astrid at the northern end of Mount Maunganui wharf.

Pilot Bay water quality tests have come back all clear, meaning the health warning signs are being removed this morning. Photo: File.

The signs were put in place because of a possible waste water spill, says a Tauranga City Council spokesperson.

However, it has since been confirmed that the ship arrived with empty waste water tanks.

City council say they acted on information from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

'If they get there and the waste water tanks are empty, they have to surmise that the waste water has gone somewhere,” says the spokesperson.

'They made a call to close the beach as a precaution.”

The closure was precautionary and advised against swimming and fishing.

'What sort of authority do we have to prevent people going in the water? I think it's really a warning, more than anything.

'It's not like a legal closure where we can get police to drag people off the beach.

'It would have been worse to have done nothing, only to find out that the claims had substance, so they acted accordingly.”

Maritime New Zealand reported yesterday that the spillage included around 20 litres of fuel oil, but that the ship's sewerage tanks were empty when she arrived in port.

The Astrid, which was expected to depart last night for Las Palmas in Spain, has been detained by Maritime NZ for safety reasons, and is now expected to depart on Boxing Day.

Good news: Pilot Bay has been given the all-clear for swimming, so the health warning signs are being removed this morning. @Mt_Maunganui

— Tauranga Cty Council (@TgaCouncil) December 23, 2015