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French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.

French police have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."

Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.

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