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French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to support the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

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

French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the shoreline because it is viewed as excessively high a danger to both officers and individuals.

"It is essential that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."

Now, a French naval police representative states officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.

Notably, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, 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 authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.

Now French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the vessels will be prevented.

Strong winds are presently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been contacted for response.

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