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French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.

French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.

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

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

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.

Currently French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.

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

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