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French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the plan and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces have been authorized to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have infrequently acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.

Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a brief shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left office.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.

Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for comment.

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