Fig.: an unimportant person

Unfortunately in the fight against drug dealers only small fry get caught

Purtroppo nella lotta alla droga solo i pesci piccoli cadono nelle reti della polizia

The police thought they had a big Mafia boss but they realized it was only a small fish

La polizia pensava di aver catturato un pezzo da 90 della mafia e invece era solo un pesce piccolo

English borrowed the word "fry", meaning children, from the Norse. Later it came to indicate very small or immature fish of all kind, and by extension unimportant events or persons