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France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.

French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.

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

Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Significantly, the official excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to snarl the engines of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official left office.

That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.

Currently French authorities will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

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

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