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French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

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

French police have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.

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

Now, a French naval police representative states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Now French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.

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