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France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of insistence from the UK.

The change in policy follows the Prime Minister wrote to the French leader asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their migrants, according to official statements.

French authorities have rarely intervened to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the coastline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.

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

Now, a French maritime police representative states personnel will start taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had previously been reported as a potential method to disable the engines of the boats.

This determination to intervene at all is a significant step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which ceased when the previous Interior Minister left government.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a boat.

Currently French officials will once more be allowed to stop boats prior to they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of interceptions and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for methods to adapt to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

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

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