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

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French security forces will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have rarely intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and civilians.

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

Now, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.

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

This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister left government.

This was demonstrated in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, 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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