Loss of benthic organisms within the footprint of the dredged area

Maintenance dredging is only carried out in the subtidal and, therefore, is unlikely to significantly affect the SPAs/Ramsar site (which is largely intertidal) in this way. Species within the over-wintering waterfowl assemblage do feed within the sub-tidal, however the core feeding areas for the principal warterfowl is within the intertidal habitats of the SPA and Ramsar site.

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