A seal in the Tauranga Harbour caused quite a fuss at lunchtime today with emergency services called to aid in the rescue of the animal.

The seal was spotted about 100metres offshore from Fraser Cove Shopping Centre at about midday.

People initially thought the seal was a dolphin due to the way it was lying in the estuary.

Tauranga resident Charmaine Buchanan was at Fraser Cove where people were saying there was a dolphin stranded in the estuary.

'People came up to me and were saying there was a seal, and others were saying there was a dolphin in the estuary.

'I thought it was a road-block because of all of the cars on the road.”

Papamoa resident Kahn Paul was enjoying a day off with his partner when they saw crowds gathering by the water.

'We didn't know what everyone was standing around for so we got out had a look. We thought it was a whale first.”

Crowds gathered along Fraser Street to get a look at the seal.

Kahn figured the seal must be injured so he jumped into the water to try and rescue it, but the seal came closer and began to growl at him

'It scared me; he's a big sucker man. I ran into those bushes like a little girl; he was too big for me.

'I know that they're really aggressive. I was just trying to bring him in and get him on land.”

Greerton Station Officer Richard Moreland says there was not a lot firefighters could do for the seal, besides call Tauranga Harbourmaster.

He says if the animal had been a dolphin they may have had to wade out into the water and rescue it.

Police, Greerton Fire Brigade and Tauranga Harbourmaster were called to assist in the rescue of the seal.