"Sun Shield" to protect corals from high irradiance during bleaching conditions

The frequency of coral bleaching events recorded on the Great Barrier Reef has increased. Coral bleaching is caused by a variety of factors, including thermal stress and high irradiance and a reduction of these stressors may reduce incidence of coral bleaching. "Sun Shield" is a thin film predominantly composed of calcium carbonate, which can be applied on the water's surface to act as a shade and reduce irradiance stress to corals. Formulations were preliminary tested at the University of Melbourne, Victoria. Tank and open ocean trials were performed at the Australian Institute of Marine Science and its surrounds in Townsville, Queensland. Sun Shield reduced irradiance by 20% in open ocean trials and has the potential to reduce coral bleaching severity at small scale.