The number of red tides remains high along most of Florida's southwest coast, even in the wake of Tropical Storm Gordon winds.

A report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released Friday shows levels of 1 million cells per liter or more along the Lee County coast.

Collar waters have been tested relatively clean of the toxin.

Flowering started in October but has been particularly bad since June.

Nearly 1,000 stranded and dead sea turtles have died in southwestern Florida since November, according to records from the Florida Wildlife Research Institute.

Millions of pounds of dead marine life have been collected on the beaches and shores of Lee County this summer.

More: Millions of pounds of dead fish have washed up on our beaches. That's what happens to them next

Figures from the last few months have been well above or equal to 1 million cells per liter along the Lee County coast.

The blooming is sometimes extensive from the Tampa Bay area to Marco Island.

But numbers have begun to improve in the Sanibel region this week, with some beaches growing from several million cells per liter to 40,000 or less.

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According to the CC, the destruction of fish and respiratory problems in humans can begin when concentrations reach 10,000 cells per liter.

Connect with this reporter: Chad Gillis on Twitter.

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