Fishing boats at Anstruther Harbour, Scotland.
Photo: Adobe Stock.
The Scottish Government's Marine Fund Scotland has this week opened for applications for its fifth year. In this 2025-26 edition, it will make GBP 14 million available to eligible individuals, businesses, and organizations applying for funding for new projects that contribute to an innovative and sustainable marine economy, support coastal communities, and help Scotland achieve net-zero emissions.
The ultimate goal of this funding is to help deliver Scotland's Blue Economy Vision, which sets out the long-term ambition for the nation's blue economy to 2045, transforming the way the marine environment is used and how its blue resources are managed.
"Since 2021, the Marine Fund Scotland has awarded more than GBP 55 million in grants to 330 projects, facilitating a total of GBP 121 million of investment and supporting jobs and communities right around our coastline and throughout our islands," said Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, who also urged all those with ideas for projects to help marine industries to evolve and flourish to apply.
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands insisted that Scotland's marine economy is crucial to the economic, social and cultural fabric of rural, coastal and island communities and therefore receives the backing of the Scottish Government but, she remarked, they also need the UK Government to do the same now and to provide Scotland with its fair share of funding.
"The UK Government recently announced a new GBP 360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, and I am calling for a fair share of the budget allocation to be devolved. This multi-year funding will be key to delivering benefits for the marine economy and environment, as well as supporting coastal communities, for years to come," she said.
"If this newly announced funding isn't devolved to Scotland, it will duplicate the current funding programmes, causing stakeholder confusion and dilution of intended benefits," Mairi Gougeon added.
In total, 67 projects received funding from Marine Fund Scotland last year, with grants ranging from less than GBP 1,000 to GBP 1.6 million.
These projects included the modernization of seafood processing facilities to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency; the first Scottish facility to recycle mixed materials from fishing and aquaculture nets and marine litter prevention; support for young fishermen in the purchase of their first fishing boat; and marine research and innovation to protect the iconic wild salmon.
"The Marine Fund Scotland funding has been vital to not only retain existing markets for our premium Scottish seafood but to develop new markets to achieve the highest value for the industry," Donna Fordyce, Chief Executive of Seafood Scotland, noted.
"Funding also allowed Seafood Scotland to further develop the Seafood in Schools programme launching the Scottish Seafood Ambassador scheme and Teach the Teacher curriculum-linked educational resources. The aim is to increase consumption of our delicious seafood and highlight the sector as a career of choice; this is very relevant given the labour shortage the industry is currently facing," Fordyce added.
For their part, aquaculture companies obtained more than 2.5 million pounds from the Fund. Companies such as Cooke Aquaculture Scotland, Blueshell Mussels, AquaGen Scotland, Hendrix Genetics and Vonin Scotland were among the main beneficiaries.
