This week was technically the first week back after the festive break, but it was only three days, so we’re bringing you a review of the stories you might have missed during the whole period while you were enjoying your holidays.

As usual at the end of year we put together some compilation articles looking at the mergers and acquisitions that took place in the seafood sector during 2018; a roundup of the year’s biggest stories; as well as IntraFish's 15 most-read opinion pieces of 2018.

We also continued to roll out our CEO outlooks, featuring the likes of BioMar CEO Carlos Díaz; Klaus Nielsen, CEO of Espersen; Ricardo Misraji, CEO of Australis; Roger O'Brien, CEO of Santa Monica Seafood; Grant Rosewarne, CEO of New Zealand King Salmon and Ricardo Garcia, CEO of Camanchaca.

But in addition to these end of year specials, there was also plenty of regular news over the period as well.

Salmon smoker MacKnight announced it was changing the company name as a part of the impending sale of its US operation; the Alaska pollock marketing group named a new CEO as part of restructuring; and Chicken of the Sea settled with more retailers in its tuna price-fixing case.

Pacific Andes’ China Fishery was back in the news as well with the trustee laying out a restructuring plan ahead of the sale of its Peru assets. Meanwhile, a New York judge also relieved China Fishery of $14.9 million in debt claims.

The period also saw Invermar approve the takeover of Surmar, while, also in Chile, Multiexport and Blumar unveiled plans to build a 50,000-metric ton plant in Magallanes.

Fishing giant Parlevliet & Van der Plas (P&P) bought a majority stake in Dutch flatfish processor Dadas Groep, while fellow compatriot Cornelis Vrolijk opened a fish processing plant in Mauritania.

Norway approved permits for SalMar's offshore 'Smart Farm' during the break, and Nordic Aquafarms’ CEO reiterated how land-based salmon was the 'right thing for Maine'.

Peru's ministry of production announced the first anchovy season in the country’s southern region would kick off with stable quota, while Spain’s Iberconsa completed its acquisition of Argentina’s Valastro.

Ecuador applauds ruling allowing Brazil shrimp market access, however said it would plow ahead with its WTO shrimp case, and in India, seafood exporter Nekkanti said the delay in its initial public offering (IPO) would not dampen its plans for growing shrimp business.

There were a few people moves over the period as well with Silver Bay Seafoods naming a new CEO; the SalMar CFO resigning and Seachill nabbing a new technical director from New England Seafood with Nigel Edwards moving to a different position within parent group Hilton.

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So all in all, while it was a break, it was also still a busy time for seafood news. But this is just a taster -- sign up for our full list of Editor's Picks for more insight to start your week as 2019 kicks off in earnest.

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Holidays in Review: Here's the seafood news you might have missed over the festive break