Ceredigion's Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams has given his support to the 'Save Our Sea' (SOS) petition to protect Cardigan Bay's environmental habitat.

Mark Williams helped volunteers from the 'Save Our Sea' campaign with their street stall in Aberystwyth last week and the group has now collected almost 2,500 signatures since they started back in April.

Local MP Mark Williams, who has long campaigned for better regulation in Cardigan Bay and has spoken out against industrial scallop dredging and oil exploration in the Bay commented: "I was pleased to be able help SOS with their petition campaign. I have constantly pressed the UK Government to bring in tight measures in the Marine Bill to ensure that we effectively harness our resources in Cardigan Bay without destroying the habitat there.

"We need to ensure that local fishermen have the ability to continue with their sustainable fishing and we need to clamp down on those industrial scallop dredgers who have come from afar to threaten not just the eco system in the Bay but also the livlihoods of our fishermen who live along the coast of Cardigan Bay.

"The strength of support already given for the SOS petition shows that there's a strong feeling locally that the Governments in London and in Cardiff must do more to protect what we already have. If we can nurture our marine environment then it will act as an even greater draw for tourists than it does already.

"I look forward to handing this petition in to the Government in the autumn and hope that in the meantime, more local residents sign it to give the campaign even greater strength.".