Angelfishes and parrotfishes living along the coral reefs of the 12 Caribbean nations are literally in the fight of their lives battling sea sponges for reef space, as well as overzealous fishermen.

“If the goal is to save the corals that build Caribbean reefs, we have to protect the angelfishes and parrotfishes that eat sponges’’ said Tse-Lynn Loh, one of two University of North Carolina Wilmington researchers who surveyed reefs among the 12 Caribbean nations.

In a delicate eco-system, these fish eat away at the sponges who have been known to use shading, smothering, snot and even toxins to kill their coral counterparts, Science Times reported.

If the sponges are not kept in check they will continue to damage reef-building corals unless kept under control by angelfishes and parrotfishes – who are also dealing with overzealous fishermen.

By removing the natural predators of sponges, fishermen are actively increasing the threats against already diminishing coral populations, Science Times reported.

University of North Carolina researchers, in a new study published this week in the journal Peer J, reported that on overfished sites along the Caribbean, coral colonies had twice the incidence of sponge infestation that those were not fished at all.

This discovery is expected to change how Caribbean nations and ecologists address fishing policies on or near the reefs.

“Caribbean nations can now base their fishing policy decisions on the clear connection between overfishing and sponge-smothered corals,’’ lead researcher Joseph Pawlik told Science Times. “Coral conservation requires a healthy population of reef fishes.”