Maritime New Zealand is asking visitors to Tauranga to adhere to the beach closures as clean-up crews continue to decontaminate the sand of washed-up oil.

The oil emanates from the Rena, which has leaked oil into the sea since it ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef on Wednesday, October 5.

Signage and public stigma are the best defences against people heading to oiled beaches.

MNZ national on scene commander Alex Van Wijngaarden says the volunteer clean-up network is focusing on Mount Maunganui and Papamoa beaches this weekend.

Clean-up teams will also be assisting iwi at Maketu and Waihau Bay, near Te Kaha.

Police are patrolling the beaches and will be enforcing the beach closures.

The officer managing the police support to MNZ, Inspector Karl Wright-St Clair, says police will continue to have a visible appearance on the beach.

'We're asking people to respect the restricted access so that MNZ and others can do their job.

'We will be advising people of the restriction and asking them to leave the area.”

Oil on the beaches sees authorities asking visitors to Tauranga to respect the beach closures. Photo: Brett van Huenen.

Police are also reiterating their message to the public not to interfere with any shipping containers that have and will wash ashore.

Maritime New Zealand says a shoreline clean-up crew have confirmed that reports of oiling at Whakatane spit and Ohope Beach are incorrect.

A Wildlife Response Unit has also been established as a staging unit in Te Kaha with the capacity to take in 100 animals.

'We are seeing a lot of debris from containers washing up in the Eastern Bay of Plenty,” says Alex.

People are being asked to report sightings of containers or debris by phoning 0800 OIL SPILL.