`gfwfish_vessels_search`

Pack: global-fishing-watch · Connect: https://pipeworx.io/mcp (see Connect below for a single-pack URL)

No MCP client? Call it directly: GET https://gateway.pipeworx.io/v1/tools/gfwfish_vessels_search for the schema, then POST the same URL with its arguments for the data.

Search the Global Fishing Watch vessel identity database by name, MMSI, IMO or call sign. Returns each matching vessel with its GFW vessel id (pass it to gfwfish_events), flag state, gear type, registry names and the AIS transmission window. AUTHORITATIVE for identifying a fishing or carrier vessel across flag and name changes. Requires your own free GFW API token, passed as _apiKey.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
`query`	string	yes	Vessel name, MMSI, IMO or call sign — at least 3 characters, e.g. “ARCTIC LOON” or “224224000”.
`datasets`	string	no	Comma-separated GFW vessel datasets. Default “public-global-vessel-identity:latest”.
`limit`	number	no	Max vessels to return (1-50, default 10).
`since`	string	no	Paging CURSOR from a previous call’s next_since. This endpoint pages by cursor, not by offset — an offset argument is rejected upstream.
`includes`	string	no	Comma-separated extras to return: MATCH_CRITERIA, OWNERSHIP, AUTHORIZATIONS.
`_apiKey`	string	no	Your own Global Fishing Watch API token (BYO). ${KEY_HELP}

Example call

Arguments

{
  "query": "ARCTIC LOON",
  "limit": 5
}

curl

curl -X POST https://gateway.pipeworx.io/global-fishing-watch/mcp \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"gfwfish_vessels_search","arguments":{"query":"ARCTIC LOON","limit":5}}}'

TypeScript (@pipeworx/sdk)

import { Pipeworx } from '@pipeworx/sdk';
const pipeworx = new Pipeworx();

const result = await pipeworx.call('gfwfish_vessels_search', {
  "query": "ARCTIC LOON",
  "limit": 5
});

Connect

Add this to your MCP client config — every tool in the catalog, including this one — or use one-click install buttons:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pipeworx": {
      "url": "https://pipeworx.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Connect to just the global-fishing-watch pack

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "global-fishing-watch": {
      "url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/global-fishing-watch/mcp"
    }
  }
}

See Getting Started for client-specific install steps.

gfwfish_vessels_search