A New Zealand representative for the owner of the Melilla 203 says the fishing vessel could be back in service within the next two months.
The vessel and its sister-ship, the Melilla 201, were investigated by the Ministry of Fisheries in December 2007 for area misreporting - an offence in which fish are caught in one area but declared as coming from another.
The ministry found about 745 tonnes of fish on both vessels were misreported from eight voyages in 2007, and believed it was the biggest area misreporting case it had investigated.
Dae Hyun, the vessels' owner, went into liquidation soon after the seizure, and the vessels were bought by another Korean fisheries company, Haemin Corporation Ltd.
Haemin has obtained another fishing charter in the south seas for Melilla 201 with United Fisheries in Christchurch.
However, the company was unable to obtain a charter for the for this season.
Melilla 203 has remained berthed at Dunedin's X/Y sheds since May last year as its original charterer, Trans Pacific Fishing Ltd, fights at the Wellington District Court for the $900,000 worth of fish which was confiscated by the Ministry of Fisheries.
Haemin Corporation Ltd New Zealand representative Chris Ludeke said the new owner of Melilla 203 missed the 2009 quota run because the initial plan was to re-establish operation and a quota for Melilla 201.
Haemin was now looking at options for Melilla 203, including sale of the vessel or getting a new quota and refurbishing it for the next season.
