Metal detectors are prohibited on Mockhorn Island Wildlife Management Area, Wreck Island, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge, and Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge.
The use of metal detectors at other Virginia seaside locations that are open for recreational use is permitted for personal use and when conducted in a way that does not negatively impact the surrounding environment.










This project was funded by The Nature Conservancy with support from The Volgenau Foundation and by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program led by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality through Grant #NA17NOS4190152 of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended. All Explore Our Seaside partners also contributed significant time and effort to the project.