On 17 February, around 100 people marched through Aberystwyth in protest against the proposed issuing of DTI licences to explore for oil in conservation areas off the Welsh coast.
Local campaigners SOS called the march, hot on the heels of handing in a 2400-signature petition to Downing Street on 6 February. According to the campaign's website, the petition was presented to tell the government that the people of mid and west Wales will not take the granting of licences to explore for gas off the coast “lying down”. SOS have been working with political parties and NGOs, including Friends of the Earth and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, “to raise public awareness of the plans, which could lead to drilling rigs conservation areas”.