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

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the plan and stating there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.

French authorities have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as excessively high a risk to both personnel and individuals.

"It is crucial that we deploy these methods this period... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

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

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

This determination to intervene at all is a significant advancement, coming after a brief shift towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left office.

This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the UK leader and French president, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.

Now French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking passengers from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's uncertain how the vessels will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the past.

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

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