U.K. Foreign Secretary Faces $3,400 Fine for Fishing Without a License During Vance Cotswolds Visit

Talk about a fish story.The U.K.’s foreign secretary, David Lammy, has turned himself in to Britain’s environment watchdog for fishing without a rod license during an impromptu outing with Vice President JD Vance.The pair had a brief fishing jaunt during Mr. Vance’s visit to England last week, but neither caught anything. Still, Mr. Lammy realized he didn’t have a license, so referred himself to the authorities.“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,” a Foreign Office spokesman said.“As soon as the foreign secretary was made aware of the administrative error, he successfully purchased the relevant rod fishing licences. He also wrote to the Environment Agency notifying them of the error, demonstrating how it would be rectified, and thanking them for their work protecting Britain’s fisheries,” the spokesman said.Anglers in England and Wales older than 13 are required to have a rod license to fish for freshwater species, such as carp, according to the Environment Agency. Violators can be fined up to $3,392. The cost for a one-day license starts at $9.63, and an annual license starts at $48.55.No word on whether Mr. Vance had a license or if he will also turn himself in to authorities for the infraction if not.Americans would be shocked to learn that Brits need a license to fish even on private bodies of water. While licenses are needed in most American states — a one-year license in Virginia, for instance, costs $23 — anyone can fish on private lakes and ponds without a license.The two politicians last Friday went carp fishing in the private pond behind the historic house before holding an official meeting. “They were both in a very good mood about it,” an official with knowledge of the fishing expedition told a pool reporter with the American press corps.A Reuters photographer was invited to capture the outing, and the pool reporter said at one point “the two men appeared to be sharing a laugh as the vice president held a fishing pole.”Afterward, Mr. Vance confirmed they did not catch any fish, but his children did: “Unfortunately, the one strain on the special relationship is that all of my kids caught a fish, but the Foreign Secretary and I did not.”An Environment Agency spokesman said: “Everyone who goes fishing needs a license to help improve our rivers, lakes and the sport anglers love.”It is unclear whether the pair, who were fishing for carp, brought along an “unhooking mat,” which — while not required by law — are compulsory for anglers at many fisheries and clubs.“Carp fishing unhooking mats are essential tools when it comes to delivering first-rate fish care,” one website says. “They provide a safe and comfortable environment for carp to rest while being unhooked, preventing any unnecessary harm to the fish.”

U.K. Foreign Secretary Faces $3,400 Fine for Fishing Without a License During Vance Cotswolds Visit

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