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France has agreed to begin intercepting small boats in the English Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift comes after the British leader sent a letter to the President urging him to back the plan and saying there currently "lack any effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.

French authorities have rarely acted to prevent the overcrowded boats leaving the coastline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both officers and individuals.

"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."

Currently, a French maritime police representative says officers will start taking action at sea, with the objective of protecting human life.

Significantly, the official ruled out the use of nets to stop boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to disable the engines of the boats.

The decision to take action at all is a significant step forward, coming after a short-lived shift towards a more aggressive strategy this summer, which ceased when the former government official left government.

This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when French police were observed walking into the sea to slash the sides of a vessel.

Now French authorities will once more be permitted to stop 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 stopped.

Powerful gusts are currently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking ways to adapt to evade interception, as they have frequently done in the past.

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

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