Politicians and environmentalists have launched a backlash against an application to carry out exploration for oil and gas inside highly sensitive special areas of conservation off the Aberystwyth coast.

As the Cambrian News revealed last week, Eni UK, a subsidiary of the Rome-based oil and gas multinational Eni SpA, is applying to carry out three-dimensional seismic shooting over nearly 370 square miles of outer Cardigan Bay between Aberystwyth and Wexford.The company has already carried out an environmental impact assessment on the proposals, but told the Cambrian News this week after the situation was revealed that it “currently has no planned seismic surveys scheduled for the outer Cardigan Bay area”.Elin Jones AM accepted an opposition petition from Extinction Rebellion campaigners.And Ceredigion MP Ben Lake wrote to Greg Clark, the UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to raise “serious concerns” over the application.“I am deeply troubled at the prospect that a survey of this nature will be conducted,” Mr Lake said.“Seismic surveys can have a detrimental impact on ecological systems and marine wildlife.”He called on Mr Clark to “reconsider” any support for the scheme, calling permission for such a proposal “deeply concerning”.The BEIS said any proposal was subject to consultation with Natural Resources Wales and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.The Wildlife Trusts in Wales said they are “extremely concerned” over the plans which could see surveys carried out over 40 days this summer if approved.See this week's south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now