French authorities will start stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands

French officials have consented to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, after an extended period of pressure from the UK.

The change in policy comes after the British leader wrote to the French leader urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective preventive measure" in the Channel.

French security forces have been authorized to stop the migrant vessels at sea, but only before they've picked up their migrants, according to official confirmation.

French police have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered excessively high a risk to both personnel and civilians.

"It is essential that we implement these tactics this month... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel."

Currently, a French maritime police representative says personnel will start intervening at sea, with the aim of protecting lives.

Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of nets to intercept boats, which had earlier been reported as a possible technique to snarl the engines of the vessels.

This determination to take action at all is a significant advancement, following a short-lived shift towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the former Interior Minister departed from office.

This was demonstrated in July, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and French president, when authorities were observed wading into the sea to damage the hulls of a vessel.

Currently French authorities will once more be allowed to intercept boats prior to they collect asylum-seeking passengers from the coastal areas of northern France, however it's not clear how the small boats will be stopped.

Powerful gusts are presently postponing the commencement of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be looking for ways to adapt 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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