Beautiful whale shark rescued from fishing rope by kind diver

A captivating film made by the Smithsonian Channel shows the impact the fishing industry can have on our underwater wildlife.

The footage, filmed in the water off the coast of Soccorro Island, in the Revillagigedo Archipelago, shows a commercial fishing rope that has become a noose for a beautiful, speckled whale shark, slowly slicing into its enormous body.

See also: Man catches 8 ft long shark

See also: Brave divers remove hook from shark's mouth

A brave diver chances upon the ailing fish and seizes the opportunity to cut the suffering animal free and relieve it of its pain.

Seeing the diver alongside the fish shows just how large the animal is, and how dangerous it could potentially be for the diver.

But the huge whale shark calmly cooperates with the diver, allowing him to hack through the thick rope.

The whole process takes just 30 seconds to remove a piece of rope that may have tortured this poor animal for years.

For the dive team its a moment of pure joy and the footage shows the brave rescuer holding the rope after the whale shark has been freed.

Not only is it covered in moss and sea algae suggesting it has been in place for years but the thickness of the rope is also evident and sure to have caused the brave animal plenty of pain.

The zero-tolerance policy on fishing helps maintain the Socorro Islands undersea environment.

According to National Geographic the whale shark is the world's largest fish and can reach lengths of 40 feet or more.

They are generally found in warm waters and despite their size they are known for being docile, as is clear in the Smithsonian Channel's video.