Meeting of experts

Sectoral Policies Department T: +41 22 799 61 41 E: [email protected] R: IC 22-3-100

TO ALL MEMBER STATES OF THE ILO 17 March 2026

Meeting of experts to adopt a code of practice on occupational safety and health in aquaculture (Geneva, 4–8 May 2026) Dear Sir or Madam,

In accordance with the decision taken by the Governing Body at its 353rd Session (March 2025), it is my pleasure to invite your Government to nominate an observer to participate in the Meeting of experts to adopt a code of practice on occupational safety and health in aquaculture. The meeting will be held at the headquarters of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva from Monday, 4 to Friday, 8 May 2026.

Purpose

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss and adopt a code of practice on occupational safety and health in aquaculture.

Background documents

The Office has prepared a draft code of practice in English, French and Spanish. The code is structured in two parts. Part I covers general provisions related to aquaculture. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the code’s objectives, application and scope, followed by a chapter on the general duties, rights and responsibilities of the sectoral actors. Chapters 3 to 9 provide guidance on occupational safety and health management systems and organization; reporting, recording and notification of work-related injuries and diseases; competence, information, instruction and training; personal protective equipment; welfare; and labour protection. Part II provides technical guidelines for safety and health at the aquaculture worksite, divided into chapters on general provisions; safety requirements for tools, machines and equipment; diving safety; fish mass mortality events response; aquaculture installations; transport of persons, equipment and materials; weather and environment; ergonomics and the handling of materials; chemicals; biological and related hazards; and noise and vibration.

The draft code of practice is posted on the meeting webpage where other meeting-related documents will also be made available.

2. Composition

The meeting will be composed of 24 experts: eight Employer experts and eight Worker experts nominated by the Employers’ and Workers’ groups of the Governing Body respectively, and eight experts nominated by the following governments: 1 Chile, Egypt, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Norway and the United States. Should any of these governments decline to nominate an expert, a government from the reserve list 2 will be invited to do so.

In addition to the eight government experts, the meeting will be open to interested governments who may attend as observers (one observer per government). 3 Selected official international organizations, as well as non-governmental international organizations, will also be invited to participate in the meeting as observers.

Accreditation

If your Government wishes to participate in this meeting, kindly send a letter of nomination before Friday, 24 April 2026 with the name, title and e-mail address of your Government observer by e-mail to [email protected]. Please indicate in the communication whether the participant will attend in-person or remotely.

When making this nomination, your Government is invited to bear in mind the resolutions adopted by the International Labour Conference, calling upon members to include a greater number of women in their delegations to ILO meetings, as well as the applicable resolutions and targets of the United Nations concerning the promotion of gender balance.

Interpretation

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English, French and Spanish.

Travel arrangements

In keeping with the Standing Orders for meetings of experts, travel and subsistence expenses of government observers will be payable by the governments concerned. Please note that the Office neither supplies insurance coverage nor accepts any liability for a participant’s claim in connection with an accident or a medical disorder arising before, during or after the meeting. Participants are therefore responsible for obtaining adequate insurance coverage before travelling for the entire duration of the meeting, including time spent travelling to and from the event. Participants are kindly advised to only travel when in good health.

Visas and accommodation

I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that if participants require entry visas for Switzerland, which is part of the Schengen area, they will need to be obtained in their respective countries well in advance of their departure.

Regarding accommodation, please note that the Office is not equipped to make reservations for hotel accommodation. A list of hotels offering preferential rates for participants in ILO meetings can be furnished upon request to the Office.

1 In accordance with the decision of the Governing Body at its 353rd Session (March 2025): GB.353/POL/3/Decision. 2 The list of governments in reserve: Canada, Ecuador, Ghana, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Viet Nam. 3 Standing Orders for meetings of experts, adopted by the Governing Body of the ILO at its 334th Session (October-November 2018).

3. Delegates with disabilities

The ILO recognizes that social justice and decent work for all can be realized only if persons with disabilities are fully and meaningfully included in the world of work. In this context, the ILO strives to lead by example at the meetings it hosts and organizes. Should your nominated observer require any assistance in this regard, kindly address your request to [email protected].

We look forward to receiving a positive reply from your Government.

Yours sincerely, For the Director-General:

Frank Hagemann Director Sectoral Policies Department

Sectoral Policies Department T: +41 22 799 61 41 E: [email protected] R: IC 22-3-100

TO ALL MEMBER STATES OF THE ILO 17 March 2026

Meeting of experts to adopt a code of practice on occupational safety and health in aquaculture (Geneva, 4–8 May 2026) Dear Sir or Madam,

In accordance with the decision taken by the Governing Body at its 353rd Session (March 2025), it is my pleasure to invite your Government to nominate an observer to participate in the Meeting of experts to adopt a code of practice on occupational safety and health in aquaculture. The meeting will be held at the headquarters of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva from Monday, 4 to Friday, 8 May 2026.

Purpose

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss and adopt a code of practice on occupational safety and health in aquaculture.

Background documents

The Office has prepared a draft code of practice in English, French and Spanish. The code is structured in two parts. Part I covers general provisions related to aquaculture. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the code’s objectives, application and scope, followed by a chapter on the general duties, rights and responsibilities of the sectoral actors. Chapters 3 to 9 provide guidance on occupational safety and health management systems and organization; reporting, recording and notification of work-related injuries and diseases; competence, information, instruction and training; personal protective equipment; welfare; and labour protection. Part II provides technical guidelines for safety and health at the aquaculture worksite, divided into chapters on general provisions; safety requirements for tools, machines and equipment; diving safety; fish mass mortality events response; aquaculture installations; transport of persons, equipment and materials; weather and environment; ergonomics and the handling of materials; chemicals; biological and related hazards; and noise and vibration.

The draft code of practice is posted on the meeting webpage where other meeting-related documents will also be made available.

2. Composition

The meeting will be composed of 24 experts: eight Employer experts and eight Worker experts nominated by the Employers’ and Workers’ groups of the Governing Body respectively, and eight experts nominated by the following governments: 1 Chile, Egypt, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Norway and the United States. Should any of these governments decline to nominate an expert, a government from the reserve list 2 will be invited to do so.

In addition to the eight government experts, the meeting will be open to interested governments who may attend as observers (one observer per government). 3 Selected official international organizations, as well as non-governmental international organizations, will also be invited to participate in the meeting as observers.

Accreditation

If your Government wishes to participate in this meeting, kindly send a letter of nomination before Friday, 24 April 2026 with the name, title and e-mail address of your Government observer by e-mail to [email protected]. Please indicate in the communication whether the participant will attend in-person or remotely.

When making this nomination, your Government is invited to bear in mind the resolutions adopted by the International Labour Conference, calling upon members to include a greater number of women in their delegations to ILO meetings, as well as the applicable resolutions and targets of the United Nations concerning the promotion of gender balance.

Interpretation

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English, French and Spanish.

Travel arrangements

In keeping with the Standing Orders for meetings of experts, travel and subsistence expenses of government observers will be payable by the governments concerned. Please note that the Office neither supplies insurance coverage nor accepts any liability for a participant’s claim in connection with an accident or a medical disorder arising before, during or after the meeting. Participants are therefore responsible for obtaining adequate insurance coverage before travelling for the entire duration of the meeting, including time spent travelling to and from the event. Participants are kindly advised to only travel when in good health.

Visas and accommodation

I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that if participants require entry visas for Switzerland, which is part of the Schengen area, they will need to be obtained in their respective countries well in advance of their departure.

Regarding accommodation, please note that the Office is not equipped to make reservations for hotel accommodation. A list of hotels offering preferential rates for participants in ILO meetings can be furnished upon request to the Office.

1 In accordance with the decision of the Governing Body at its 353rd Session (March 2025): GB.353/POL/3/Decision. 2 The list of governments in reserve: Canada, Ecuador, Ghana, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Viet Nam. 3 Standing Orders for meetings of experts, adopted by the Governing Body of the ILO at its 334th Session (October-November 2018).

3. Delegates with disabilities

The ILO recognizes that social justice and decent work for all can be realized only if persons with disabilities are fully and meaningfully included in the world of work. In this context, the ILO strives to lead by example at the meetings it hosts and organizes. Should your nominated observer require any assistance in this regard, kindly address your request to [email protected].

We look forward to receiving a positive reply from your Government.

Yours sincerely, For the Director-General:

Frank Hagemann Director Sectoral Policies Department