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French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader asking him to back the plan and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police will be allowed to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.

French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both personnel and civilians.

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

Now, a French naval police representative says personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Notably, the official excluded the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to snarl the propellers of the vessels.

The decision to take action at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official departed from government.

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

Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats prior to 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 start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have done so often in the past.

The Home Office and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.

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