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France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

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

French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.

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

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

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous government official left government.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Now French officials will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

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

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