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France has agreed to start intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President asking him to back the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

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

French authorities have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

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

Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to disable the engines of the boats.

This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.

That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they collect migrant passengers from the coastal areas of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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

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