National wildlife refuge

Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge

Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Northampton County, Virginia run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is closed to all public use: no one may land on or enter it.

Current notices posted by the managing agency. Checked Oct. 5, 2026.

Closure: This refuge is closed to the public Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge is closed to all public access to protect sensitive species and habitats. The only exceptions are guided walking tours of the island conducted on Saturdays from October through February. Reservations for these tours are made through Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge and will open on September 1st.

Check current closures and fire restrictions for Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge on the managing agency's own page.

Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge map

Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.

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Fire restrictions

This unit's own agency alerts list no fire restriction as of Oct. 5, 2026. We do not check a statewide fire-order feed for VA, so that is not a statement that no order exists, and not a green light for a fire. Check with the land manager and your county before you light anything.

County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.

Hours, fees, and visitor center

What visitors do here: hunting, fishing.

Wildlife

BirdMigratory birds

Getting there

Nearest town: Cape Charles, 11 miles

Source: www2.census.gov, checked 2026-09-30.

Public lands next to Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge

National wildlife refugeEastern Shore Of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge is 0.4 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
State parkKiptopeke State Park is 3 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.

Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.

fws.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
recreation.gov (accessed 2026-09-29)
www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)

The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.