Economic analysis revealed the existence of strong competition among the different fishing sectors over the use of the Bay's resources and income is unevenly distributed in favor of the commercial trawlers, which employ only 7% of the total number of fishermen in the area.

By the early 1970s competition among increasing numbers of small-scale fishermen operating within San Miguel Bay already had led to a decline in catch per effort.

As competition from trawlers began to increase, the perceived impact on the stock became an issue of growing concern among the thousands of small-scale fishermen affected.

At the same time, the first of the world-wide energy crises struck, leading to major increases in the cost of operation.

The close of the decade saw the small-scale fishermen of San Miguel Bay caught between declining catches and increasing costs.