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

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

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

French police have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both officers and civilians.

"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have no effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the engines of the vessels.

The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.

That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.

Currently French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.

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