UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has been issued a written warning by the country’s Environment Agency after fishing without a license during a trip with US Vice President JD Vance.
Lammy hosted Vance and his family at his country estate south of London, where the two held a private meeting on international issues and posed for photographs while fishing in a nearby river.
Under UK law, anyone over the age of 13 must hold a license to fish in freshwater in the area. A fine for fishing without one can reach nearly $3,400, though first-time offenders with no history of violations are typically given a warning.
Lammy purchased a license after the outing occurred and reported himself to the agency, with a spokesperson describing his failure to obtain a license beforehand as an “administrative error,” according to a report by Fox News. The Environment Agency did not disclose whether Vance held a license due to data privacy rules.
“Everyone who goes fishing needs a licence to help improve our rivers, lakes and the sport anglers love,” a spokesperson for the Environment Agency said Friday. "As Mr Lammy has confirmed, we have issued a warning letter for fishing without a licence, in line with our enforcement and sanctions policy."
During the trip, Vance shared what Lammy described as Kentucky-style fishing tips. While Vance and his children caught and released several fish, Lammy was unsuccessful.
“The one strain on the special relationship is that all of my kids caught fish, but the foreign secretary did not,” Vance joked.
