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France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.

The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

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

French police have rarely acted to stop 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 deploy these tactics this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.

Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the boats.

This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left government.

This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.

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

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