A plan to sink an artificial reef off Waikiki is stalled for now, and it's good news for worried surfers and fishermen but still uncertain for the project's backers.

• The state land board pulled the permit vote for the $9 million reef project off Waikiki from this week's agenda without explanation, though the application is still active.
• The plan would place 150 concrete modules in 40 to 60 feet of water near the mouth of a channel, right outside popular surf spots known as Threes, Paradise, and Populars.
• Surfers worry the modules could weaken incoming waves before they reach the breaks, and other ocean users — canoe paddlers, catamarans, foil boarders, and tour boats — pass through the area daily.
• A longtime fisherman questioned calling it coral "restoration" when the area never had coral, and wants assurances that local fishing grounds, which supply fresh fish for island families, won't be affected.
• Supporters still like the idea in general, since artificial reefs attract fish and sea life, but say this specific spot needs more scrutiny before construction, planned for early next year, moves ahead.

Outlook: The permit decision is now delayed with no new date set, so the project's early-next-year construction timeline is in doubt until the land board takes it back up.