Applications are now open for the fifth year of the Marine Fund Scotland. The fund will make £14m available in 2025-26.

Eligible individuals, businesses and organisations can apply for funding for new projects that will contribute to an innovative and sustainable marine economy, support coastal communities and help Scotland reach net zero emissions.

Last year, a total of 67 projects received funding, with grants ranging from under £1,000 up to £1.6m. They included the modernising of seafood processing facilities to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency, the first Scottish facility to recycle mixed material from fishing and aquaculture nets and marine litter, and support for young fishermen purchasing their first vessel.

Cabinet secretary for rural affairs, land reform and islands Mairi Gougeon said: “Since 2021, the Marine Fund Scotland has awarded more than £55m in grants to 330 projects, facilitating a total of £121m of investment and supporting jobs and communities right around our coastline and throughout our islands. I urge all those with ideas for projects to help marine industries to evolve and flourish to apply.

“We are backing Scotland’s marine economy, which is crucial to the economic, social and cultural fabric of our rural, coastal and island communities. They now need the UK government to do the same and to provide Scotland with its fair share of funding.

“The UK government recently announced a new £360m 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.

“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.”

Information on eligibility and how to apply can be found here.

Details of all projects that have received grant funding from the Marine Fund Scotland to date can be found here.

This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.50 here. 

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