A barge yesterday dropped 2,500 fish habitats to the Maunalua Bay artificial reef, located off Kahala in 60 to 80 feet of water, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said.

The fish habitats are constructed from concrete by Pioneer Machinery Inc and are Z-shaped modules each about 8 feet long by 4 feet wide. The reef is about 74 acres and was created in 1961 out of cars, concrete pipes, automobile and truck tires, barges, table shelters and the Z-shaped modules.

There even is a military landing craft buried there among the concrete anchor blocks, the department said.

This is one of four shallow-water artificial reefs the state maintains. The others are at Wai'anae, Kualoa and Keawekapu on Maui. The state also maintains a deep-water artificial reef off 'Ewa.

It's important to keep adding to the reef to create new fish habitats, said Peter Young, DLNR chairman. "Artificial reefs increase potential fishing grounds for fishermen, and the cost to the state is minimal," he said.

For more information, contact DLNR Aquatics at 587-5404.