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France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.

French police have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.

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

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

Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the propellers of the boats.

This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous Interior Minister departed from government.

This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be allowed to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be stopped.

Strong winds are currently delaying the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade detection, as they have done so often in the past.

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

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