Maryland officials earlier this week announced new crabbing restrictions designed to boost the state?s dwindling blue crab population.
But some watermen say the rules ? including closing the crabbing season for females about seven weeks early and imposing bushel limits for female crabs ? could put some out of business.
Larry Simns, president of the Maryland Watermen?s Association, said some crabbers are contemplating legal action.
How might these restrictions hurt the crabbing industry?
It?s going to hurt a certain portion of the industry more than others.
It could put the crab-picking houses out of business and hurt the crabbers around Dorchester, Talbot and Somerset counties.
The time of year they want to close the season is the time of year when the females migrate there.
Weren?t the crabbers prepared for stricter regulations?
They let everyone believe it wasn?t going to be as bad as this.
They should have announced it in January.
Now, everyone has bought their equipment and obligated themselves.
In the crab-picking houses, they have to sign contracts with guest workers six months in advance.
They have to pay them even if they don?t have a job for them.
What?s an alternative solution?
We proposed a sanctuary right down the middle of the Bay, where no one could crab.
Everyone would share the burden, and it would be easier to enforce.
Will you prevail ina lawsuit?
Well, we are trying to negotiate with them first. We would rather not have to [take] legal action.
That?s always a last resort.
You could win a case, and it could end up being harmful for the crabs.
We don?t want that, either.
