A group of fishermen stumbled upon what is believed to be a dead Beaked Whale while fishing out at Penguin Shoals last weekend.

The 10-12m Beaked Whale seen floating out at Penguins Shoals on the weekend. Photo: Supplied.

Angler Rob Pitkethley, trawling with two other fishermen at the time, spotted the 10-12m whale floating in the water at about 9am on Saturday while embarking on a full day of fishing.

'Initially we thought it was part of a net as it had floats and then when we got over they were gas filled bits of intestine.”

Drifting about 5m away from the whale, Rob could not tell what type of whale it was, but suggests it had a strong dorsal fin.

'Weather conditions were about 10-15 knots and there was a large slick coming off the whale with a number of small birds hanging over. The front of the whale was considerably decayed.”

DOC Biodiversity program manager Chris Clark says he has had a number of reports about the whale during the past week, but the department does not get involved unless the whale reaches the coastline.

Having looked at a photo sent in of the whale, Chris believes it is a decomposed Beaked Whale.

Beaked Whales, part of the Ziphiidae species, are a toothed whale and are known as some of the world's most extreme divers and notable for their dolphin like elongated beaks.

The whales are moderate in size ranging from 4-13m and weigh from 1-5 tonnes.

He says it is normal for dead whales coming ashore depending upon the weather conditions at the time, particularly onshore breezes which can drive them in.

The dead whale sighting comes after a 7m Sperm Whale was found off the coast of Papamoa before washing ashore early last month.