Chesapeake Bay watermen and seafood processors fear new limits on blue crab harvests will ruin their business.

About 200 commercial fishermen were present in Cambridge on Wednesday evening for a hearing on the proposed regulations.

Under the regulations, the harvest of female crabs would end October 23, during prime time for harvesters. Companies that pick crab meat fear they'll lose customers to foreign competitors.

The restrictions imposed by Maryland and Virginia are aimed at reducing the annual harvest of females by one-third.

Maryland's Administrative Executive Legislative Review Committee will make the final decision on the regulations.