Three dead sharks - two great whites and a baby hammerhead - have washed up on Bowentown Beach near Waihī.
Photos posted on Facebook by New Zealand shark scientist Riley Elliot show the dead sharks lying on the beach after being found on Monday. According to Dr Elliot, the "very sad" deaths were "clearly associated" with set fishing nets.
A Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) spokesman confirmed one of the sharks was found in a set net - but said the net was legal.
"It was found when MPI fisheries officers were proactively patrolling at about 5am. They checked the nets, the nets were all legal… so nothing wrong there," the spokesman told Newshub.
"As DoC (Department of Conservation) tells us, unfortunately, it happens occasionally that sharks get caught up in set nets. Because there was nothing illegal from MPI's point of view, DoC is the lead agency on this."
White sharks are protected in New Zealand under the Wildlife Act 1953. This latest incident comes after a great white shark washed up on Auckland's Omaha Beach last month.
According to MPI, a karakia was held at Bowentown Beach on Monday.
DoC has been contacted for comment.
