David Lammy left himself on the hook for a £2,500 fine after he failed to get a rod licence before fishing with US vice-president JD Vance.
The Foreign Secretary has referred himself to the environment watchdog over the ‘administrative oversight’ when he cast away with Mr Vance last week.
Anglers in England and Wales aged 13 or over must have a rod licence to fish for freshwater species, such as carp, according to the Environment Agency.
Those without a licence are warned they face a fine of up to £2,500 if they are fishing and cannot show a valid rod licence when asked.
Mr Lammy failed to catch any fish when he hosted Mr Vance at his grace-and-favour retreat at Chevening House in Kent last Friday.
During his visit, the US vice-president described Mr Lammy as a ‘good friend’ and a ‘very, very gracious host’.
Mr Vance added: ‘Unfortunately, the one strain on the special relationship is that all of my kids caught fish, but the Foreign Secretary did not.’
It is understood that all fish that were caught were returned to the private lake.
The US vice-president visited Chevening while in Britain for a holiday in the Cotswolds with his family.
Mr Vance has since met senior Tories Robert Jenrick and Chris Philp, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, and Thomas Skinner – a pillow salesman who appeared on series 15 of The Apprentice – while in the UK.
Mr Farage said today: ‘Good to catch up with my old friend JD Vance this morning. Everything we discussed remains confidential.’
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: ‘The Foreign Secretary has written to the Environment Agency over an administrative oversight that meant the appropriate licences had not been acquired for fishing on a private lake as part of a diplomatic engagement at Chevening House last week.’
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: ‘Everyone who goes fishing needs a licence to help improve our rivers, lakes and the sport anglers love. We understand the relevant licences have been purchased.’
A spokesperson for the Countryside Alliance said: ‘Angling is an amazing sport with multiple health benefits and we welcome as many people taking it up as possible.
‘It’s important to remember, however, why we are all required to have a rod licence with the proceeds raised being invested back into angling.
‘You can get a fine of up to £2,500 if you fail to show a valid rod fishing licence when asked’.
A Labour source told The Sun: ‘There’s nothing fishy to see here.
‘The Foreign Secretary isn’t much of a fisherman but he landed a big diplomatic catch getting the Vice President to stay for the weekend at Chevening.
‘As soon as he learned of the administrative error he got the relevant licences and notified the Environment Agency to avoid getting caught up.’
