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

The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

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

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

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

Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the former government official left office.

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

Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adjust to evade detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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

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