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French officials have consented to begin intercepting small boats in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the French leader urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "have no effective preventive measure" in the maritime passage.

French security forces will be allowed to intercept the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative statements.

French police have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats departing from the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.

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

Now, a French maritime police representative says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the objective of safeguarding lives.

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

The decision to take action at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official departed from office.

That was highlighted in July, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.

Currently French officials will once more be allowed to intercept boats before 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 presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking networks will be seeking ways to adapt to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the past.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been approached for comment.

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• Reasons UK cannot just return asylum seekers to French territory
• French government withdrawing from commitment to intercept migrant boats