France will start intercepting small boats in Channel after British demands

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

The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.

French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.

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

Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding human life.

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to disable the engines of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.

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

Now French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.

Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.