A new visitor information centre at Fort Augustus on the Caledonian Canal is just one of the projects in the Highlands to receive support from the Coastal Communities Fund.
Scottish Canals will get £227,500 towards the centre, which is set to create 20 jobs.
Initiatives which will improve coastal paths, transform harbours and create new visitor attractions are among the 18 recipients of the latest round of the fund.
Harris Development Ltd has been awarded £300,000 to develop twin pontoon facilities at Tarbert and Scalpay in East Loch Tarbert, the gateway to the island.
In Orkney, RSPB Scotland will restore an area of farmland reserve on Egilsay to secure a future for endangered wildlife. The project receives £237,500.
The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust is getting £196,535 towards a 32 month project that aims to develop a network of 25 whale watching and whale heritage sites across the west coast.
The John Muir Trust receives £113,525 for improvements at Sandwood Bay in Sutherland, making it more accessible to visitors.
And Staffin Community Trust gets £108,049 to deliver a major enhancement and extension to its Skye Ecomuseum, an outdoor facility with no walls or roof that celebrates the natural and cultural heritage of Staffin’s crofting townships.
Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “This latest £4.3million investment delivers on our commitment to supporting fishing and coastal communities and includes a range of exciting projects that will improve paths and facilities and create new opportunities to attract tourists.”
A spokeswoman for Scottish Canals said: “We are thrilled that our new project at Fort Augustus has received funding support from the Coastal Communities Fund. This funding will go towards developing a new visitor centre on the internationally renowned Caledonian Canal, creating more than 20 new jobs and wider socio-economic benefit to this rural community.”