Pearl and Hermes Reef - Definition and Overview

Discovered in 1857, the Pearl and Hermes Reefs, are part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. A few, small, sandy islands exist, contained within a lagoon, surrounded by a coral reef. They are devoid of vegetation, except for several species of grasses. The reefs were most noted within the pearl trade. In 1927, Captain William Greig Anderson was fishing for tuna and in the process, discovered pearl beds within the lagoon. This opened up the first commercial activity the reefs had ever seen, but the pearl trade lasted for only a few years. The Hawaiian government elected to suspend activity and render the area as a bird sanctuary, which it remains today.