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France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after months of insistence from the UK.

This policy shift follows the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official confirmation.

French authorities have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered too great a risk to both personnel and civilians.

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

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

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

This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, coming after a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the previous government official left office.

That was highlighted in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to damage the sides of a vessel.

Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats prior to they pick up migrant passengers from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

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

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