Millions of chefs around the world will be encouraged to cook with Scottish seafood after a deal was struck with a global professional body.
The agreement, offering "unprecedented global exposure" for certain Scottish produce, has been struck with the World Association of Chefs' Societies (WACS).
Under the terms of the deal, the association's 10 million members will be urged to use Scottish salmon and langoustine in their restaurants.
Various recipes are also being produced to show how the seafood can be used to create delicacies from around the world.
The agreement will also see Scottish salmon and langoustines being used exclusively by more than 100 chefs in the 2012-14 Chefs Global Challenge, which has heats in locations such as Singapore, Italy and Hong Kong. Norway hosts the final in 2014.
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead announced the sponsorship deal during a visit to Shanghai, China.
"This landmark agreement will give unprecedented global exposure to Scottish produce and the link with the World Association of Chefs' Societies is an extremely prestigious accolade for Scottish food and drink," he said.
"Our salmon and langoustine are already ingredients of choice in many restaurants around the world and this deal will further boost the global profile of the premium seafood that hails from Scotland's larder.
"This deal will give huge worldwide exposure to Scottish seafood, but we also hope as a result chefs around the globe will explore Scottish produce more generally and, in turn, this will provide a boost to our other premium products too."
The 60,000 euro (£48,000) deal was struck by Seafood Scotland and the Scottish Salmon Producers' Organisation (SSPO), working with Scottish Development International.
