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French officials have consented to begin stopping small boats in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to back the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.

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

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

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

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister departed from office.

This was demonstrated in July, preceding a summit between the UK leader and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.

Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be looking for ways to adjust to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been contacted for response.

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