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French officials have consented to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.

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

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

Significantly, the official excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to disable the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former government official departed from government.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Currently French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.

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