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French officials have consented to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, after months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

The change in policy follows the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and stating there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces will be allowed to stop the small boats at sea, but only before 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 personnel and civilians.

"It is essential that we deploy these tactics this month... We have zero effective prevention in the Channel."

Now, a French maritime police representative states officers will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Notably, the official ruled out the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been suggested as a potential method to disable the propellers of the boats.

The decision to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief shift towards a more aggressive approach this summer, which dropped off when the previous government official left government.

That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a boat.

Now French authorities will again be permitted to intercept boats before they pick up migrant 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 commencement of interceptions and the people-smuggling gangs will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for response.

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