A couple of fishermen, caught out by a sudden change in the weather, are waiting it out in the choppy seas of Manu Bay as the local coastguard monitors the situations.

Emergency services were alerted by members of the public, who spotted the floundering boat out in the water off the coast of the small bay in the Waikato, shortly before 1pm.

At about 2pm, the small boat remained out in the water, with a coastguard vessel alongside monitoring the situation, about a kilometre off shore.

Police Search and Rescue Sergeant Phil Bell said the skippers had also requested assistance, when they realised it wasn't safe to head back to shore.

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"Conditions got up to a point where the skipper wasn't happy to get back over the main strip," he said. "They've been out fishing, the swell picked up where it wasn't safe to come back in."

Bell said the tide was expected to change in about 45 minutes which could give them another opportunity to get back to shore.

He said the people on board weren't in any immediate danger.

"It's not a daring rescue, just coastguard assisting fishermen."

Bell said the incident was a timely reminder to fishermen to check the weather conditions before they went out to see.

"Check the forecast before you go out and if the situation changes where you are not comfortable, do what these people have done and seek assistance."