A photo showing thousands of snapper discarded on State Highway 2 on Sunday morning has upset many locals.

Shared across social media, the photo has caused many to respond with dismay and anger.

"Whatta waste that coulda feed alot of people," says one.

"Disgusting," says another.

"Ew and it smells bad too..went past it today," writes Marshall Kirti.

Others discussed how the incident could have happened.

"Well I think it's obvious what happened the bins they were in and the trailer they were on must've detached from a small truck or vehicle but what confuses me is why would you leave it all there to go to waster, surely they felt it detach or maybe not," writes David Ormsby.

"Maybe fell off a fisheries vehicle while transporting could of got blown tyre or anything just hope it wasn't deliberate," writes Gaileen Kenny.

"Something fishy going on here guys!" writes Duane Krissansen.

"I hope MAF get to the bottom of this and prosecute the offenders. This is appalling!" writes Loretta Sheeran.

Motorists have been stunned by the sight of thousands of snapper strewn along the side of State Highway 2 near Athenree on Sunday morning.

A Katikati kiwifruit orchardist who lives nearby took the photo which has also been sent to the Ministry of Primary Industries.

"I was going from Katikati to Waihi beach about 9am," says the kiwifruit orchardist, who wishes to remain anonymous.

"I noticed the snapper on the side of the road near the Athenree turn off. Just before Athenree on the Katikati side.

"Looks like more than 1000 snapper. Hundreds of kilos, lying in the gully. MAF have phoned me. They say there was a trailer found nearby in an orchard that's related to it."

A couple of large blue drums were also lying along the side of the road, and locals say that they appear to be what the snapper were in.

MPI's national manager fisheries compliance Niamh Murphy has confirmed to SunLive on Sunday that they have received a complaint about the discarded snapper.

"We are looking into it," says Niamh. "We cannot go into more detail while our enquiries are ongoing."

On Monday morning MPI told SunLive that they have no updates yet on the incident. Police have no information on the matter at all, as they say the incident wasn't reported to them.