French authorities to begin stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands

French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.

French police have rarely acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both officers and civilians.

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

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible technique to disable the propellers of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.

That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.

Now French officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

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