What began as a friendly countryside fishing trip between British Foreign Minister David Lammy and U.S. Vice President JD Vance has now turned into a minor legal headache for the UK’s top diplomat.

Lammy, who hosted Vance last week at his official Chevening House residence in Kent, admitted to fishing without the legally required rod license — a technical offense under British law that could carry a fine of up to £2,500 (about $3,400).

In a statement to CTV News, a Foreign Office spokesperson said Lammy had contacted the UK’s Environment Agency after realizing “the appropriate licenses had not been acquired for fishing on a private lake as part of a diplomatic engagement.” The spokesperson added that Lammy “successfully purchased the relevant rod fishing licenses” as soon as the error was discovered and formally informed the regulator of the mistake.

Lammy’s letter to the agency reportedly expressed how the oversight would be corrected and thanked officials for “their work protecting Britain’s fisheries.”

The visit wasn’t all formalities. Following their meetings, Vance remained in the UK for a family vacation, and the two men shared lighthearted banter at a press conference. “Unfortunately, the one strain on the special relationship is that all of my kids caught fish, but the foreign secretary did not,” Vance quipped to reporters.

According to Britain’s PA Media, all fish caught during the excursion were released back into the private lake.

Under English and Welsh law, anyone aged 13 or older must hold a freshwater rod license to fish legally — a regulation intended to protect fish populations and promote sustainable angling. An Environment Agency spokesperson confirmed the licenses have now been purchased, adding: “Everyone who goes fishing needs a licence to help improve our rivers, lakes and the sport anglers love.”

While Lammy’s admission may simply be chalked up to an “administrative oversight,” it comes against the backdrop of Vance’s well-known criticism of the UK’s heavy-handed approach to free speech — making their diplomatic camaraderie, and now their fishing fine episode, an unlikely headline in both nations.