France to begin intercepting small boats in English Channel after UK pressure

France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of insistence from the UK.

The change in policy follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.

French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both personnel and individuals.

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

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

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

This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from government.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to evade detection, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.