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

The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.

French authorities have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French naval police spokesperson states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.

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

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister departed from office.

That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, although 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 methods to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.

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