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

The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no 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 authoritative confirmation.

French authorities have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both officers and individuals.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.

Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister 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 hulls of a vessel.

Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for response.

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