Use of current net is also banned. But scores of fishermen, joined by their wives and children are seen catching the fries in Kalindi, Chunkuri, Kholpetua, Chunkari, Mother, Dyer Gang, Margang, Mir Gang and Ichhamati rivers every day.

Huge quantities of fries of other fishes, netted along with shrimp fries, are just destroyed, greatly hampering fish production.

During a visit to the areas, local people told this correspondent that the illegal netting of fries with current nets is going on but neither the local administration nor the Fisheries Department has taken any step to stop it.

Some fishermen said they sell a shrimp fry at Tk one and a lobster fry at Tk 2 to Tk 2.5. The demand and price of naturally produced fries collected from rivers are higher than those produced in hatcheries.

On contact, an official of the Fisheries Department seeking anonymity said though netting of fries with current nets is illegal and a punishable, they are not taking any action because the fishermen are very poor and unemployed and they are maintaining their families with the meagre income from sale of fries.

He however said, if netting of fish fries can be topped during March-July, fish production will double. Some sources also claimed that shrimp fries collected from rivers are also being smuggled to India. Organised gangs of smugglers are engaged in smuggling the fries, they said.