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France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French authorities have rarely acted to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

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

This determination to take action at all is a major advancement, coming after a short-lived change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed walking into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.

Now French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect migrant individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

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

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