Surf Life Savers are asking fishermen who love to throw a line off the rocks to make sure they get themselves home safely this summer.
About 230,000 Kiwis enjoy fishing off rocks but it can be deadly, killing on average three fishermen each year.
But in Auckland's wild west coast, there has been three fatalities in the past two months.
Surf Life Saving Northern Region community safety and engagement manager Tom Kearney told 1News "some of the main causal factors" are people trying to go out alone, and "overestimating their ability, and underestimating the risk and the conditions of the west coast".
Research also indicates it is more often Asian men putting themselves at risk.
Drowning Prevention Auckland's Madison Chang said those who are new to New Zealand "take their benchmark from their mother country".
"But New Zealand's aquatic environment is so different from other places," he said.
Kearney said being prepared can go a long way in preventing people from getting into danger.
"Be prepared and know how to float," he said.
He also stressed the importance of wearing the right gear, including a correctly fitted life jacket and "booties or shoes as opposed to gumboots so they don't fill up with water".
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