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

This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

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

French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and individuals.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."

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

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.

Now French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are presently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.

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

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