MOSCOW, January 10 - RAPSI, Alyona Yegorova. An appeals court upheld the dismissal of the Finance Ministry's $412.5 million lawsuit against a major fishing company, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) reported on Tuesday.

The court has dismissed the Finance Ministry's appeal against the Moscow Commercial Court's decision.

The ministry sought to recover unjustified enrichment from the Murmansk Trawl Fleet after the company illegally used six fishing vessels that had been purchased for the fleet by the federal government. The ministry based its claim figure on the fleets fishing activities over the past nine years when it illegally utilized the fishing vessels.

The ministry told the court that the fleet was obligated to repay the cost of the vessels under a liability commitment that has been recognized as invalid. The debt was eventually recovered via legal proceedings. However, the ministry is now seeking to recover unjustified enrichment from the fleet.

The Moscow Commercial Court held against the ministry's claim in late September. The court also held against its 1.15 million euro claim against Sudoimport in the same case. Sudoimport entered into contracts on the fleet's behalf. The ministry sought to recover the agency fee from it.