However, SNH is consulted annually on the routine disposalof dredged material from operations which require a Sea Disposal Licence under PartII of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.Advice from SNH is that currentroutine dredging operations are unlikely to be having a significant effect on theNatura sites within the Firth of Forth because when the sites were designated theconservation status of the sites was of a quality to merit designation even thoughthese dredging operations had been taking place routinely for some time before designationand also due to the fact that routine dredging operations take place in a few specificlocalities.