It's spring on the Chesapeake Bay, and Maryland's crab pot season opened Tuesday morning.

But there are worries for the thousands of watermen who sell crabs. Harvest numbers in Maryland have been down for a decade, and early reports from winter dredge surveys indicate this year may not be any better.

Scientists say blue crabs in the Chesapeake are nearing dangerously low levels, and officials are planning to announce tougher regulations in coming weeks to lower the commercial harvest. Most of the proposals are aimed at catching fewer adult females.

Virginia has already expanded a blue crab sanctuary in its portion of the bay and is considering new bushel limits. Both states are waiting for the results of a winter dredge survey that takes a census of the Chesapeake's blue crab population.

While the regulations are being worked out, commercial crabbers are already at work in Virginia, where the commercial crabbing season opened two weeks ago.