The Scottish Government announced the 2026–27 results of Marine Fund Scotland on 7 October. Ninety-nine projects run by businesses and organisations will share more than £16 million. The government estimates that the projects will support 122 jobs in coastal and island communities; this is an expected impact, not employment already created.

The published breakdown of direct and competitive awards includes £5.4 million for aquaculture, £4.7 million for sea fisheries, £2 million for seafood processing and £1.8 million for marketing. A further £1.5 million is for recreational fishing and wild salmon, £0.5 million for marine litter and £0.4 million for other topics such as marine planning and conservation. The rounded categories total £16.3 million.

Activities cited include collecting data on fish-stock health, safety training for crews and trials of nets designed to use less energy and reduce environmental impacts. Four strategically important projects are associated with Seafood Scotland, Seafish, Salmon Scotland and Marine Environmental Services of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation. The round supports a mix of businesses and organisations across several parts of the marine economy.

The government describes the fund as support for economic activity and communities on the coast. It says it wants to contribute to a £3.5 million increase in aquaculture production and sales, but the release does not explain how that objective is allocated among the 99 recipients. The figure of 122 jobs is also an estimate associated with funded projects. Actual outcomes depend on implementation and have not yet been measured.

The release says the fund has awarded more than £86 million to 499 projects since 2021, which the government says generated over £185 million in investment. Those cumulative totals cover several years and are separate from the 2026–27 round. The award breakdown includes direct and competitive grants; a linked list identifies recipients and individual awards. The release provides no final exact total above the stated £16 million threshold, so the headline amount should be read as ‘more than £16 million’.