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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 Prime Minister wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.

French police have rarely intervened to stop the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is viewed as too great a risk to both officers and individuals.

"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Currently, a French naval police representative states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this summer, which dropped off when the former Interior Minister left office.

That was highlighted in the summer month, preceding 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 officials will again be permitted to stop boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.

Strong winds are presently postponing the commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling networks will be seeking methods to adjust to evade interception, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for comment.

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