Three men are facing prison terms or large fines after there were caught on Monday on the coast south of Titahi Bay with 867 paua.

Fisheries officers observed two of the men in a small motor dingy in rough sea recovering paua thought to have been caught and stashed earlier.

When they swooped on the trio, officers located three large packs containing 81 kilograms of paua, much of it undersize.

They will appear at the Porirua District Court next month.

Ministry for Primary Industries compliance manager Mike Green says such a large take can strip an entire area and the stock can take months if not years to recover.