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France has agreed to begin intercepting migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy follows the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.

French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.

"It is crucial that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel waters."

Currently, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential technique to snarl the engines of the boats.

This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.

This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and French president, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, although it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.

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

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