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French officials have consented to start intercepting migrant vessels in the English Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the United Kingdom.

This policy shift comes after the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and saying there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the maritime passage.

French maritime police have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their migrants, according to official statements.

French police have infrequently acted to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.

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

Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says personnel will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of safeguarding lives.

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

This determination to intervene at all is a major advancement, following a brief change towards a more aggressive approach this warmer season, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.

This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a meeting between the Prime Minister and President, when French police were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.

Now French officials will once more be permitted to intercept boats before they collect asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of northern France, although it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.

Powerful gusts are presently delaying the commencement of intervention operations and the people-smuggling gangs will be seeking ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have done so often in the past.

UK immigration authorities and the Prime Minister's office have been approached for response.

Connected Developments

• Why Britain cannot just return asylum seekers to French territory
• France withdrawing from commitment to stop asylum boats