France will start intercepting small boats in Channel following UK pressure

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

The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to support the plan and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official confirmation.

French police 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 essential that we implement these methods this period... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."

Currently, a French naval police representative says officers will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.

Notably, the official ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, following a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official left government.

That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations 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 approached for comment.