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France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative confirmation.

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

"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."

Now, a French naval police spokesperson states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.

Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to disable the engines of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from government.

This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.

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