Members of the Maritime Fishermen's Union have agreed to put half a cent for every pound of lobster sold toward a marketing campaign.

They hope all of the other fishermen and processors in Quebec and Atlantic Canada do the same, which would give the Lobster Council of Canada $1 million a year to find new markets for lobster.

Although it's a premium product, prices for lobster are low and sales in the U.S. have dropped.

'You have to invest some money or else you're not going to succeed in doing very much.'—Christian Brun, Maritime Fishermen's Association

"It's been relatively simple in the last 50 years. We've sold a lot of our lobster nearby, in the United States, it's basically been pretty easy," said union spokesman Christian Brun.

But it's time for better marketing, he said.

"When you start introducing your product in China, first of all, you have a much greater distance, you have a completely different culture around eating foods in general, so you have to invest some money or else you're not going to succeed in doing very much."

Brun said other industries, such as Alberta Beef and BC Salmon have been successful with such a marketing strategy.

Fisherman Darryl MacIvor agrees. Lobster fishermen are following a long list of other industries looking for new customers, he said.

"Pork, milk, whatever it shall be…it all comes down to marketing…if you create a demand in the public for your product, you're going to receive a better return on the other end," said MacIvor.

Members of the Maritime Fishermen's Union are the first to agree to the idea, but they said it's contingent upon all the other fishermen and producers in Quebec and Atlantic Canada participating.