A Tofino artist is being heralded for spawning stewardly inspiration.
Mark Hobson was recently crowned the champion of the prestigious Salmon Conservation Stamp Competition.
“I am thrilled to be honoured with a first place from the Pacific Salmon Foundation,” Hobson said through a Nov. 28 media release announcing his accomplishment. “The organization does excellent work in restoring and maintaining salmon populations all over B.C. It thus feels good to be contributing to this ongoing work by celebrating the beauty of a group of spawning sockeye.”
Hobson’s entry is entitled ‘Red October’ and is now set to be featured on the 2025-26 Salmon Conservation Stamp, which the announcement explains is required for anglers to acquire a tidal waters license.
“Every year, PSF leverages approximately $1.5 million in annual stamp revenue with additional funds from generous donors to support more than 150 salmon conservation projects,” it reads.
The foundation notes that Hobson has spent more than 30 years pouring his artistic passion into capturing the Pacific coast’s wildlife and landscapes.
“Prior to dedicating himself to painting, he taught science at Shawnigan Lake School, where he played a key role in launching one of B.C.’s first school hatchery programs. This year’s award marks his fifth win in the Salmon Conservation Stamp Competition,” the announcement reads.
It adds that Hobson found his muse for ‘Red October’ while snorkelling with salmon in Taylor River.
“I’ll never forget one time when hundreds of sockeye swam by, and cutthroat trout darted up, nudging their noses against the salmon to snatch up the eggs. But then came a beautiful, big steelhead that chased away the trout and claimed the eggs for itself. That hour, with the sun filtering through and the bright red fish all around, was pure magic,” Hobson said, “Salmon are an incredible part of the Pacific coast, linking forests, marine environments, and countless species. Watching them return to spawn year after year is such a treasure.”
