Load your new identity into the ssh-agent management program using the ssh-add command

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Open a terminal window and enter the ps -e | grep [s]sh-agent command to see if the agent is running:

myhost:~ manthony$ ps -e  | grep [s]sh-agent
 9060 ??         0:00.28 /usr/bin/ssh-agent -l
If the agent isn't running, start it manually with the following command:

myhost:~ manthony$ ssh-agent /bin/bash
Load your new identity into the ssh-agent management program using the ssh-add command.

$ ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa
Enter passphrase for /Users/manthony/.ssh/id_rsa: 
Identity added: /Users/manthony/.ssh/id_rsa (/Users/manthony/.ssh/id_rsa)
myhost:~ manthony$ 
Use the ssh-add command to list the keys that the agent is managing.

$ ssh-add -l
2048 7a:9c:b2:9c:8e:4e:f4:af:de:70:77:b9:52:fd:44:97 /Users/manthony/.ssh/id_rsa (RSA)