На безрыбье и рак рыба

We must do with the thing or man we have at our disposal for want of a better one. See В поле и жук мясо (B), В темноте и гнилушка светит (B), Ешь щи с мясом, а нет, так и хлеб с квасом (E), За неимением гербовой пишут на простой (3), Кривой среди слепых - король (K), На безлюдье и сидни в чести (H), На бесптичье и ворона соловей (H),2028 (C)

Cf: All is good in a famine (Am., Br.). Among the blind the one-eyed man is king (Br.). A bad bush is better than the open field (Am., Br.). Make the most of what you have (Am.). There is little choice in a barrel of rotten apples (Am.). There is small choice in rotten apples (Am., Br.). There's no choice among stinking fish (Am.). They that have no other meat, bread and butter are glad to eat (Br.). They that have no other meat, gladly bread and butter eat (Am.). When /all/ fruit fails, welcome haws (Br.). When the fruit fails, welcome haws (Am.)