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 a photo which has 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."

He says the snapper don't look undersized.

"There's a couple of large blue drums spread along on the road - I think that's what the snapper were in."

He says that an officer from the Ministry of Primary Industries has been in contact.

"MAF have phoned me. They say there was a trailer found nearby in an orchard that's related to it."

MPI's national manager fisheries compliance Niamh Murphy has confirmed to SunLive 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."

At the scene? Phone 0800 SUNLIVE or email newsroom@thesun.co.nz