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France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.

The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

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

French police have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the official excluded the use of nets 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 advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.

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

Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade detection, 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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