What is the Georges Bank Anyway?

When the White House released its energy policy last month, it included renewed interest in oil exploration on the Georges Bank.

The bank is a geological formation out in the Atlantic Ocean well-known to fishing fleets as fertile ground.

Former President Bush placed a moratorium on oil drilling in the area, and former President Clinton extended that ban until 2012.

But President George W. Bush is considering lifting that ban, causing New Hampshire's Governor Shaheen to write in protest.

To get an idea what the Georges Bank means to the region, NHPR's Mark Bevis spoke to UNH Zoology professor Ann Bucklin.

Dr. Bucklin has been one of the chief scientists surveying the bank for the past six years.