French authorities will start stopping migrant vessels in English Channel after British demands

France has agreed to start stopping migrant vessels in the English Channel, following months of pressure from the UK.

This policy shift follows the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President urging him to support the initiative and saying there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.

French maritime police have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but only before they've picked up their passengers, according to authoritative confirmation.

French police have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats departing from the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

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

Currently, a French maritime police spokesperson states personnel will begin intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson ruled out the use of entanglement devices to intercept boats, which had earlier been suggested as a possible method to snarl the engines of the vessels.

The decision to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a short-lived change towards a stricter approach this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister left office.

This was demonstrated in the summer month, preceding a meeting between the Prime Minister and French president, when French police were observed wading into the sea to slash the sides of a boat.

Currently French authorities will again be permitted to stop boats before they collect migrant individuals from the beaches of northern France, however it's not clear how the vessels will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for methods to adjust to avoid interception, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.

The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.