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

The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

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

French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.

"It is essential that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel waters."

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

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible technique to disable the engines of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.

That was highlighted in July, preceding a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

Now French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to evade 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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