The Eighth Consultative Committee Meeting on Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) was held on 3–4 July 2006. The consultation was convened by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, the US Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the World Conservation Union (IUCN), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).  It was hosted by IOC at UNESCO headquarters, Paris, France.  The meeting was co-chaired by IOC Executive Secretary, Dr Patricio Bernal, Dr Kenneth Sherman of NOAA, and Dr Carl Gustaf Lundin of IUCN.