French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands

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

The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to back the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.

French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.

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

Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to disable the engines of the vessels.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.

That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.

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

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

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.