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France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to authoritative statements.

French police have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.

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

Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the vessels.

The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left office.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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

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