A very tricky exercise scenario will put the Waikato Regional Council's regional marine oil spill response team through its paces this December.

Picture this: A fishing vessel runs aground in bad weather during the early hours of the morning off the coast between Tainui Cove and Tararu, losing 2,000 litres of diesel into the ocean while another 2,000 litres remains on board.

The Waikato Regional Council's regional marine oil spill response team will be carrying out a training exercise at Tararu Beach Reserve North on Thursday, December 3. Photo: WRC

By daybreak, the weather has eased and the vessel is now ‘stable', but north-east winds are pushing the spilt diesel towards shore and there's a threat that more could leak.

It is this scenario that will conront up to 25 responders, at least one vessel, staff from other emergency agencies, plus ten regional council staff when the training exercise takes place on Thursday, December 3.

Regional hazards team leader Adam Munro says the annual field deployment exercise not only gives the team a chance to practice but is also required to keep their response qualifications up to date.

'Exercises such as this are a great way for us to ensure that all our systems and personnel are operating efficiently,” he says.

'They also give us an opportunity to see if there are any particular issues that arise which need to be factored into our planning for real events.”

Based at Tararu Beach Reserve North, the exercise will start at 10am and there will be a designated area for the public to observe the exercise.

Responders will deploy booms to contain the spread of contaminants, use equipment for scooping diesel and other substances out of the water, plus carry out an environmental impact assessment.

For safety reasons, the actual exercise emergency response work area will be taped off.

Members of the public will not be able to enter this area unless accompanied by an authorised person and wearing steel cap boots and a high visibility vest.

The Waikato Regional Council's Coromandel spill exercise will take place at Tararu Beach Reserve North on Thursday, December 3, from 10am.