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France has agreed to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.

French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a danger to both personnel and civilians.

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

Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.

That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Now French officials will again be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.

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